The League Of Extraordinary Adolescents
by hazelday
Summary: Harry Potter, Jack Merridew, Buffy, Matilda, Jake Berenson and Jesse Tuck out to save the world together? Includes characters bio. so you know who they are. FINISHED
1. The New League

Disclaimer: I own no one in the league. This first chapter only tells about each character; things you might need to know in order to understand each individual. The second chapter will be the start of the story.  
  
Chapter 1: The New League  
I'd agree if you think that these individuals are a strange mix.  
  
Harry Potter- This British wizard is part of the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling, which most of you probably have heard about. In this story we'll say Harry is fifteen, right after the latest book that came out (Order of the Phoenix). He's extraordinary because he has escaped the Dark Lord (Voldemort) so many times. Voldemort is the wizard who killed Harry's parents when he was only one. We found out in the fifth book that Voldemort was after Harry because of a prophecy, and marked him as an equal by giving him a lighting bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Also in the fifth book his godfather, Sirius, died in battle. Which reminds me that he had to go off and live with his horrible Aunt and Uncle and their fat son, Dudley after the parents' death. At the age eleven, he found out he was a wizard (his aunt and uncle never told him) and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he made new friends, new enemies and found out how famous he was.  
  
Jack Merridew- I'm not sure if you know a lot about this character, but he is from the book 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding where he was stuck on an island with other British schoolboys for some time. Jack loves adventure, excitement, forming groups, giving out orders and though he did not admit it at first, loves to hunt. In this book he is head of the hunters, who hunt the wild pigs in the island. Things start to fall apart and lead Jack and his hunters separating from the others, wearing paint and clay on their faces. What's pretty violent is that the boys gets carried away and eventually on one rainy, thunder and lightning day, kill one of the boys, thinking he's the beast on the island. The kids eventually are rescued from the island. We'll say he's sixteen, which are hopefully some years after the accident. There's nothing really extraordinary about this character, only that he's a pretty vicious hunter, and I thought would do well to write him in this story.  
  
Buffy Summers- I hope you've heard of her! She is a character on the show Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and is leader in her group of 'scoobies'. Since you know the title of her show you know what she is- a vampire slayer. The chosen one. See what's extraordinary about her- she has super slayer strength and has fought many demonic wars. She pretty much thinks it's lonely, and wishes she can quit- but she can't. The series did end with her not being the only slayer and destroying the town she lived in, Sunnydale, which was on top the hell mouth. Buffy at the end of the series was twenty something, not really fit for being called an adolescent. So I'm going to say that she is seventeen in this story and that she's in the third season of the show, where she has just came back home after running away.  
  
Matilda Honey- She is in the book called Matilda by Roald Dahl and in the movie based on the story. Lets see... she lived some years with her parents, whom are vain and don't care about her. Their actions lead her to being this small little girl who is smart enough to go to high school, and smart enough to take care of herself (cook). What's really great about this girl is that she can move things with her eyes. In the end, her sweet teacher Miss Honey adopts her and that's why I decided to give her the last name Honey. She was around five and six when this all happened which is a very young age so I'm going to say she is fourteen in this story.  
  
Jake Berenson- I had to add an Animorph! His story is very complicated, but Jake is the leader of the group in the series called 'Animorphs' where he was having a long war with a race called Yeerks, which were trying to take over the planet. Yeerks are slug like creatures that crawl into your ears and control you. I can't say much about this character, for it's been awhile since I last read the books- but I did finish the series. What's extraordinary about him is that he can turn into any animal (that he has touched earlier) for two hours time. Doesn't that come to great use? I don't know what his age was after the war (and after his cousin Rachel died) we'll just say he's around sixteen or seventeen.  
  
Jesse Tuck- Thank fanfiction! I was trying to find a sixth character and I searched the sight and I remembered reading a book called 'Tuck Everlasting' by Natalie Babbitt (and watching the movie)! What's extraordinary about him is that he's immortal. One day at age seventeen, his family drank out of this fountain of youth, which made the whole family immortal! So he's like a hundred years old, but looks seventeen. We'll say in this story that this is after the situation with Winnie Foster for all of you who know who she is, all right?  
  
I hope you stay and read the actual story, or else reading this chapter was like, no use. If you have anything on the characters, please tell me. (Especially on Jack, Jake and Jesse.) If you have any questions on the characters, I'll see if I can answer it.  
  
***** 


	2. Being Called

Chapter 2: Being Called  
  
In the hottest day so far in the summer, a tall, messy haired green- eyed boy sat lazily in the armchair of the Dursley's living room. The television was on, news was spoken but there was nothing on that interested him, or was clues to the wizarding world. Harry yawned.  
  
Just then his Aunt Petunia sat down, looking through the mail. "Vernon Dursley, Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley, Vernon Dursley-" Aunt Petunia stopped and quickly shot a glance at Harry. "Sit up."  
  
Harry obeyed slowly, and was about to reach for the remote to turn it to another news channel, when Petunia snatched it and changed the channel herself to a dramatic movie marathon. Harry rolled his eyes and got up, in search for something to do.  
  
***  
  
Jack Merridew sipped his tea politely as possible and looked round the table with tired eyes. His mother was engaged in her breakfast and his father was behind a newspaper. Then Jack's mother looked up.  
  
"Jack, eat your porridge," She told him, looking at the untouched meal. "Go on."  
  
Jack glared and lifted his spoon, spinning it through the plate. He lifted the spoon to his mouth and sipped. It was disgustingly cold. "It's cold," Jack said loudly, just as the maid came in.  
  
"Well of course, after leaving it there to cool," Jack's mother took the mail the maid offered and started looking through them. "Dear, where are you going today?"  
  
"The Hanson's, mum," Jack said for the hundredth time. "Ha-"  
  
"There is mail for you," Jack's mother said, giving it to the maid to give to Jack. "Who's it from, more of your friends from that- island..."  
  
At this, the room was silent and Jack's father gave his wife a cold glance.  
  
Jack felt suddenly cold. The island was a subject that was the worse to talk about, how Jack was when he was there, and the boys he met...  
  
Jack looked at the letter. "No return address," He started to rip it when his mother spoke.  
  
"Not at the table, Jack. Finish your meal."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes, and his mother was focused on the mail. Jack looked at his parents if they were watching him and poured the cold porridge in a nearby tree pot. Jack smiled at his success though the maid gave him a disgusted look.  
  
Jack waited awhile, drinking his tea and announced he was done and took the letter upstairs to his room. Jack closed the door behind him, and went into his drawer and took out a box. In the box, were half a dozen pocketknives, and unanswered letters from the boys that were on the island with him. Jack took out a newly polished knife; he polished them often and used it to open the envelope. It cut with one simple slice, which made Jack shiver at the memory of the spears used on the island. He opened the letter and it contained a small piece of thick, brown parchment. Jack read it.  
  
"You have been called," Jack read aloud, a second of confusion when there was suddenly a rush of warmth and Jack knew what it meant. Jack closed his eyes, the soft bed he was sitting on turning hard and solid...  
  
***  
  
The moonlight was shining above them as Buffy fought the foul vampire. It was barely tough; Buffy had faced much worse. She kicked him and got punched, and kicked him down taking out her stake and quickly stabbing it through the heart. Buffy sighed, and went for the next vampire, which she had knocked down earlier and kicked him into a tombstone.  
  
"You and your friends-" Buffy said as she gave the vampire a good jab and punch. "Must have had a party while I was gone-" Buffy gave him another kick, and he fell into a bush. She staked the vampire, and he turned into dust. Buffy sighed, another easy victory.  
  
Buffy held her stake tightly as she made her way back home after a nights work. Five vampires. Buffy yawned sleepily, making her way back up to her room and started to change, but she noticed an envelope on her bed. Curious, Buffy made her way over to it opened it. A piece of thick parchment was inside, that read 'You have been called.' Buffy frowned at first wondering if this was the work of a demon but suddenly she knew. She felt the ground above her rumble.  
  
***  
Matilda finished her homework for the upcoming week in two hours time and made her way down the steps of her home. She smiled at her mother and skipped into the kitchen to make breakfast. "Mother would you like some eggs?"  
  
"Toast," Miss Honey said, looking through the mail. "Ah, Matilda, there's a letter for you... I don't know who it's from."  
  
Matilda took it and put it in her dress pocket. "Toast and sausage?"  
  
"Bacon," Miss Honey said, searching for a particular letter and when she found it she smiled and opened it like a badly wanted birthday present.  
  
"Is that his letter?" Matilda asked, putting down three pieces of toast and pouring milk and juice.  
  
"Yes, yes," Miss Honey said with excitement and read the letter with large eyes. "He's alright... He's in Monterrey which is in-"  
  
"Mexico," Matilda finished, buttering the toast.  
  
"He's staying at an old friends, eating very different foods... and he seems to be all right, thank goodness."  
  
"That's wonderful," Matilda said putting a plate of toast and glasses on the table while she fried the bacon. "Does he say when he will be coming back?"  
  
"No, but I'm sure in days time we will see him again," Miss Honey said softly, and went over to the table and bit a piece of toast. "This is wonderful dear... Shall you read your letter?"  
  
"When I'm finished," Matilda said, preparing eggs. When she was done, she put the plates on the table and they ate, engaging in a conversation about mystery books. Matilda then reached into her pocket and looked at the letter. "Will you excuse me?"  
  
"Mm," Miss Honey said, gazing at the diamond engagement ring on her finger. Matilda went into the next room and slowly opened the letter. She suddenly was dizzy, and could feel the ground under her go rough and solid.  
  
***  
  
Jake Berenson tried hard to read his book while his friend and fellow Animorph spoke to him.  
  
"Television, Jake! Television. I am going to talk to a bunch of people about what we went through. We are famous! I'll be signing autographs-" Marco took a pile of papers and started doing his signature. "Everyone will want one-"  
  
"Marco, that's my mail," Jake said, taking the envelopes from Marco. He saw that Marco had signed an unknown piece of mail. Jake frowned at it and started to open it.  
  
"I'll be able to buy..."  
  
Jake read the letter and repeated it under his breath with bewilderment. "You have been called?" Jake had sudden warmth and knew what it meant. The earth rumbled and Jake was suddenly dizzy, holding his head to keep steady.  
  
***  
  
Jesse Tuck looked at his family, which were all riding their horses in silence. Jesse did the same, though had the urge to do something, say something. The journey had been rough, cold and silent. Jesse looked down on the ground, watching the dirt pass him when he saw an envelope with his name on it.  
  
"Wait!" Jesse said in surprise, and jumped off his horse to pick up the letter. He looked at his name for a long while, as his brother asked what was going on. Jesse opened the letter and read. "You have been called," Jesse frowned and jumped back onto his horse and suddenly, with a rush of heavy warmth knew what it was all about.  
  
He looked at his family, who started to ride again; it was early and all of them were tired. The earth shook, another rush of warmth and the horse became solid, chair like and Jesse was going to fall off if he didn't clear his eyes-  
  
Jesse tilted to the side and instead of falling on rock and dirt, he fell on smooth hardwood flooring. Jesse blinked smelling in the new atmosphere- old books. Jesse blinked and opened his eyes.  
  
He was in a study, which included shelves of books creeping up to the ceilings. There was a long mahogany table, where multiple chandeliers were lit above it. Jesse stood and looked around to see he wasn't the only one there.  
  
A tall, thin, red head with light blue eyes was holding on to his chair so that he would not fall. Two girls were both holding on to their surroundings, in order to not lose balance. A boy with brown hair was holding his head, as if he had a headache. Everyone opened their eyes and noticed the other people in the room.  
  
"What is this place?" The tallest and oldest of the two girls asked, running through her short blonde hair and looking around in confusion. "Where are we? I'm kinda tired, so it'd be really great if I knew that my house was nearby."  
  
"We've all been called, have we?" The red head said, standing. "Tell me there are adults in this place."  
  
"Is this a dream?" The shortest girl asked, fixing her red ribbon that kept her hair out of her face.  
  
Jesse pinched himself. "No."  
  
Just then there was a loud sucking noise, and a boy with messy dark hair and glasses appeared in one of the mahogany chairs and held on to it so that he would not fall onto the floor.  
  
The blonde haired girl shook her hair back and looked ready to throw a punch.  
  
The boy with glasses opened his eyes and looked around the room frowning.  
  
"What's that on your forehead?" The red head immediately asked, pointing.  
  
"You're polite," The girl with the ribbon said sarcastically.  
  
"Do be good to each other," An ancient male voice said from the shadows. "We wouldn't want the people in the League to hate each other."  
  
The blonde girl searched the shadows. "Huh?"  
  
********  
  
This chapter mainly shows you a short part of their lives before being 'called'. They are now together, which will make it easier to write and less like its all been rushed. 


	3. Missions

Chapter 3: Missions  
  
The ancient male voice soon appeared out of the shadows into the lit study room. His black hair was combed back and shining greasily, with few silver hairs, his face was greasy with narrow eyes and lips, and a pointed nose. He wore a fancy suit with a bowtie and polished black leather shoes. He smiled benevolently, that didn't exactly show in his dark eyes.  
  
The crowd looked at him, uneasily. The girl with blonde hair stood strong in her fighting position while the other girl with the red bow backed away, close to her. The red head was closest, looking at every wrinkle in his face and the boy with glasses frowned slightly, clutching something in his pocket. The two last of the boys looked at him tiredly.  
  
"Welcome, new league," He looked at them hungrily. "Delighted you all came safely and in once piece."  
  
The red head sat against the table. "Who are you?"  
  
"Lord Seamus Scrauss, student and teacher in medicine," He stepped closer, and everyone took a small step back. "Master in hypnosis and the study of the mind and spirit."  
  
Everyone continued to stare, not sure what to say. "Don't like the Lord part," The boy with glasses muttered finally.  
  
"I wouldn't think so, Mr. Potter,"  
  
"What do you want, why are we here?" The blonde asked. "Cause I don't like to waste my time."  
  
"I am not wasting your time Miss Summers," Lord Scrauss said. "You are all here for a reason... do any of you have a guess?"  
  
Everyone was silent.  
  
"War." Everyone turned to a young man with light brown hair who was standing against the bookshelves, away from the group. "We are going to fight something... together."  
  
"Fight what?" The girl with the red bow said.  
  
"I will tell you in a minute, once you all get- acquainted." Lord Scrauss said. "Why don't you all just tell the group you name?" Lord Scrauss' eyes went to the blonde.  
  
"Buffy Summers." she said, standing tall, a glow of strength coming from her.  
  
"Jack Merridew," The red head announced with pride. He turned to Buffy. "Who names their kid that?"  
  
"You wanna say that a little closer, Jack?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm Matilda- Honey," said the smallest girl with the red ribbon.  
  
"Jesse Tuck," said a boy with long hair, and he raised his hand high.  
  
"Harry Potter," The boy with glasses said.  
  
"Jake Berenson," said the young man who was standing against the books.  
  
"Very good, very, good." Lord Scrauss said. "Now you are all special in some way, you know, but everyone else in the room is a stranger, so they do not know your powers." Lord Scrauss started walking backward, the shadows consuming him. "Lets see how we can combine these powers to fight." He was gone.  
  
"Okay, what is up with him and shadows?" Buffy asked. Just after that came a crash, and warriors dressed like black warriors came flipping in. About fifteen of them landed somewhere. Everyone in the room froze, and looked at one another.  
  
Buffy smiled. "We fight."  
  
The warriors started yelling as well as some people from the league and the warriors lunged at their prey. Buffy handled three at once, ducking, kicking and tripping them and giving them jabs in the face. Matilda used her eyes to move books onto them, but one caught her. Jake went into a trance and transformed into a tiger. Jesse looked at him with shock but was suddenly thrown against the bookcase by a warrior. Jack looked around, unsure what to do, and grabbed the displayed sword hanging from the wall. He went at it with the warrior.  
  
"Take that- that-" Jack said, though the warrior ducked and jumped out of the way but Jack poked him a few times.  
  
Buffy knocked one out and went for another one. It did a series of back flips, but she knocked him out. It was several minutes in the fight, when the number of warriors lowered and all felt triumph for victory when a groan came from one of the members.  
  
Everyone turned around to see a sword through Jesse Tuck's abdomen. Matilda screamed as the warrior took out the sword and it made a slicing noise. The warrior stared in his eyes for a moment then Jesse kicked the warrior, grabbed his sword and stuck it in him. The warrior screamed and fell to the ground. Everyone looked at Jesse.  
  
"No blood," Buffy whispered. A warrior on the ground was about to grab her but she kicked him out of the way with her slayer strength and he flew against the wall.  
  
"Super strength," Jesse said to Buffy.  
  
"Slayer strength." Buffy corrected him.  
  
"Immortal." Jesse told her.  
  
The group looked around to see the warriors crawling lifelessly on the floor. They all noticed a tiger transforming into a human. Some people stood back, and then they saw the tiger's face take the shape of Jakes. Jake brushed himself off.  
  
"Can change into any animal I touch for two hours time," Jake said.  
  
"*Accio*, sword!" Harry said with his wand pointed at Jesse's sword and immediately it was in him other hand. Harry forced a smile. "Wizard at a Wizarding school."  
  
The sword was immediately taken from Harry's hand into Matilda's. She smiled, her youth showing brightly. "I can move things with my eyes."  
  
Everyone turned to the last member, who was on the ground, a warriors blood stained into his hand. Jack was looking at it vehemently, as if remembering something he did not wish to remember. He looked up at all of the gleaming eyes.  
  
"Well done, well done," Came Scrauss' voice, as he once again appeared from the shadows. "See what great partners you have?"  
  
"For how long?" Jake asked.  
  
"Depends," Lord Scrauss said, taking the sword from the motionless Jack and putting it back as a display. Buffy frowned because he did not bother to clean it. "Do you wish to know your mission?"  
  
"That would help," Buffy said irritably.  
  
"Sit, sit," Scrauss handed Jack a white handkerchief to clean himself off. "Get comfortable. You have a long mission ahead of you."  
  
Everyone sat, Jack, Buffy and Matilda on one side, Jake, Jesse and Harry on another. Scrauss placed his greasy hands on the table. "There is a door at the end of a corridor, that is perfectly curved at the bottom and made of strong Maplewood. Behind that door is a room, a small one in fact, containing more power then you could ever dream. Naturally, the door is locked. In that room there is a box made of mahogany wood and lined with gold and silver."  
  
Matilda yawned.  
  
"If one was ever to open that box, you would find that it unleashes very dark forces, demons. Demons that cannot be fought when you are awake. Because they live in your nightmares."  
  
Jack raised his eyebrows. Some members exchanged glances.  
  
"Your mission is to get that box and destroy it." Scrauss said simply.  
  
"That's all?" Jesse said, who was taking this in with much interest.  
  
"Of course not," Buffy, Jake and Harry said at the same time.  
  
"There are other's after it. Dreamcatchers. They're plan is to get the box and open it into the world where nightmare's would never end."  
  
"I lived through that before," Buffy said, remembering her first year at Sunnydale High school, once when nightmares came to life.  
  
"You destroy the box, with something strong... it ends. You go home and forget this all happened." Scrauss walked around the room as six pairs of eyes followed him.  
  
"So, the only people standing in our way it the Dreamcatchers?" Jack said, thinking this mission sounded unbelievably easy. "That's all?"  
  
"No. The box which is in a room which is behind a door in a corridor is surrounded by demons that do not fight in your dreams," Scrauss returned to his starting place. "Also, it is a long tiring journey there. Who knows what you might encounter."  
  
Harry nodded, holding his wand tightly.  
  
"So the mission is, go on this journey, go to this place, go into this room and destroy a box with something heavy?"  
  
"Yes," Lord Scrauss said, smiling stealthily. "So, are you all for it?"  
  
"Do we have a choice?" Jake asked.  
  
Scrauss smirked. "No, I suppose you don't." Scrauss looked at the group. "In?"  
  
"In," said the group, some gloomy, some excited, and some tiredly.  
  
***** There, the story has been told to you, only it didn't include the twist...  
  
Thanks for the reviews Mike Dean, Brutal 2003, Mockingbirdflyaway, S.M and Random Reader. 


	4. Enemies

Chapter 4: Enemies  
  
Scrauss led them out of the Study into a dark hall lit with torches. The ceiling seemed to reach the top of the skies, and the hallway went on everlastingly into the darkness. The walls were patterned strangely, and held mirrors and painted pictures. Scrauss led them down one part of the hall, and as they passed many doors and paintings, they knew they were in an aged castle.  
  
Buffy was silent as she followed Scrauss, and looked around. Only when they passed a lit torch did Buffy see the curious faces of her fellow members. Jack was grimacing, and Buffy saw him eyeing the paintings as if they were going to come to life and scare the hell out of them all.  
  
Matilda walked close to Buffy; she obviously felt that she was one of the strongest. She noticed Harry, walking about, hand over the wand in his pocket and looking as if he didn't want to do this. Not like everyone wanted to do this anyway.  
  
Jake walked in front of the group with Jesse close by his side. Jesse looked ready to take on this journey, and he criticized every painting he passes. "Look at that one. That's something scary, now isn't it? It'll give you nightmares for days."  
  
Scrauss' pace reduced in speed, and everyone slowed down also, bumping into one another. Then it quickened and some people jogged to keep up. They went at this fast rate for a while until Scrauss stopped abruptly and the group behind him went into collision. Harry had tripped and Jack had stepped on him. Jack apologized under his breath, though half the group felt that it had not been an accident.  
  
The group looked from Scrauss to the dark hallways. It seemed that Scrauss was thinking which path to take, and he examined each. "This way," he said and went into the left pathway.  
  
"Where is he leading us?" Matilda asked, breathing irregularly.  
  
"I don't know," Buffy said, looking around. "I guess all were suppose to do is follow."  
  
Jack said, "This is boring. And where are we? I hope he's not leading us into some wretched room to fight off more warriors."  
  
Strauss stopped again at a door. "Let me just open this..." The members huddled together.  
  
"I don't understand why, out of all people in the world including adults, he chose us," Jesse said in a quiet voice.  
  
"Well we all have something special about us, don't we?" Jake whispered. "Obviously our powers combined can stop the people we're fighting. The dreamcatchers."  
  
"And destroying the box," Buffy said. "I hope we get the background on this entire situation, the box, the door, the dreamcatchers- I'd like to know exactly who I'm fighting and who I'm saving."  
  
"He just explained it," Jack said slowly. "We're fighting demons and dreamcatchers. We're saving the people of the world. We fight, we kill, we save the day and we go back home with a victorious song in our hearts."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Enthusiasm is always great in these kinds of situations, but you make the journey sound simple enough for a guy like you to do alone and so far I know you've got no power worth bragging about."  
  
The corridor was silent except for the sound of Strauss going through a pocketful of keys to find which one opened the door.  
  
Jack's glare was so menacing, that it overthrew his embarrassment. Harry was reminded of Draco Malfoy, a boastful classmate that was out to get Harry and his friends. "She's right. All of us have something to show, except you," said Harry.  
  
Jack glowered at him. "And I bet you're worthless without your stick."  
  
"Doors open," Strauss said loudly over their voices as if it had open for a while. The group exchanged glances and they followed him in.  
  
The room was dark and empty, but the moonlight shone through the windows. There was another door to the outside and Strauss opened it. Outside it was light and breezy, and there was a sea that went on ceaselessly. It was a calm sea, there seemed to be no life in it but made of life. Then they saw movement in the distance, and it seemed to be a fairly large ship coming towards them.  
  
"Here she comes," Strauss said softly and the ship traveled in a speeding rate. Everyone waited anxiously at the dock. Soon the ship came over and stopped. A rope ladder came out of the boat and landed in front of them. Strauss smiled. "Well. Climb."  
  
The first person to step up was Jake and he climbed with ease. Then Buffy followed with Matilda then Jack, Harry and finally Jesse. They were all soon at the top, landing on the floor.  
  
"Oww you landed on me!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Was that you leg?"  
  
"Who's on top of me?"  
  
"Me. Sorry. I'm up."  
  
"That wasn't my leg!"  
  
"Well, all of you up, up now!" Strauss said and all of them looked up to see Strauss standing tall.  
  
Jack frowned. "How did you get up here so fast without bumping into any of us?"  
  
Strauss only grinned. "Come now. I'll show you to your rooms."  
  
Buffy and Matilda looked at each other and followed the rest farther into the boat. Buffy looked around and found that it didn't seem like a boat when they went down stairs. There was a living room, complete with a sofa, bookcase and end tables. There were many doors on the walls and down the murky hallway.  
  
"Rom six will be for the two young ladies and room seven will be for the gentlemen," Strauss said showing them to their rooms. Strauss touched the wall that separated the rooms and immediately it slid out of the way and the two rooms were one. "Just touch the wall and it will slide out of place. Keep it closed for bedtime but in the day it must become one room so that you may all work together."  
  
They all nodded. The rooms looked exactly alike except that almost everything in the girl's room was red and the boys had blue. It had narrow but plump beds for each of them, with coverings. Each bed had a table beside it with a candlestick on it and a chest at the foot of the bed. Harry was reminded of Hogwarts, and wished he were there instead.  
  
"There are clothes in the chest as well as a number of things you may need like a flask, a journal and bags. Weapons that you will use for self defense and practice. Feel free to explore around, remember that some places are forbidden and I am sure you are all smart enough to figure-"  
  
"I'm bleeding," Buffy interrupted loudly. She lifted her finger to reveal a deep cut. "One of you probably got me when we landed."  
  
"Oh," Strauss said, and he went over to Buffy. He took out a white handkerchief and dabbed Buffy's finger. Then he returned it back to his breast pocket. "There's first aid in each of your trunks, and if you need better, feel free to make your way to the laundry room."  
  
Buffy turned to Matilda. "What bed do you want?" The boys started returning to their own room and choosing beds.  
  
"Now, get a good nights sleep, we have some days of sailing and work to be done in the morning," Strauss smiled and shut the Girls' door.  
  
"Well, night," Jake said. He touched the wall and it slid into place.  
  
All went into their beds but almost no one could sleep. It was about two am in the morning when they all dozed off for the rest of the night. It was only Jack who slept for an hour and by three am he was up and bored. He wondered if his parents knew that he was gone. Surely in two days time they would take notice and search for him.  
  
Jack got up and decided to go to the bathroom. He yawned and got out of the room into the main living room area. The candles on the tables were out and there was no light except from the moon creeping in from the windows. Jack frowned. Which way was the bathroom?  
  
He decided to walk down the nearby hallway, and wasn't too keen on opening every door. Hopefully, the door would say Bathroom, or Lavatory, on it. Right he was. The third door on the left was labeled Bathroom in many different languages. Jack sighed and went in. It was small and clean, complete with a tub, toilet and sink. Even a table in front of a mirror with towels and cups.  
  
"Nice bathroom," Jack said to himself and went to the toilet. The ship tipped to the right and Jack almost slipped. The ship was sailing calmly once more. Jack looked out the window and saw that everything was peaceful. Then he heard voices.  
  
"He picks on those who are beneath him, lad. Just follow his orders," said a tall, thin man outside. His hands were on the railing, and he was looking out into the serene sea.  
  
"I hate following his orders!" The second man said, he was small and plumb, and he wasn't much taller then the first man's waist. "I hate those stupid kids he brought along. Their uncivilized, vicious animals, they are."  
  
"Shove it, you haven't even met them." The first man drawled. His voice was low and foggy, as if he was talking with his nose covered. "Its ok. They don't know what they're getting their selves into. It's a long journey, I don't think they'll even make it to the great finish."  
  
"He will make sure they will," said the second man. "You know he will."  
  
"He has enemies, lad." The first man said, the words rolling out of his mouth as if it were obvious. "Enemies brave enough to stop him. To stop *them*."  
  
"I like that," The second man said cheerfully. "Yes. I do."  
  
Jack was interested in these men but he backed away. Too much knowledge was dangerous. Jack quickly got out of the bathroom and walked back into the Boy's room into his bed. He pulled the covering around him and was silent. Was he to tell his partners members, who seemed to be liking him less and less, or make it his own little secret....?  
  
***** 


	5. Breakfast

Chapter 5: Breakfast  
  
All were waken by the sounds of the sea crashing against the boat and knocks at their doors.  
  
"Children, children!" Someone called in a droning voice.  
  
"Children?" Harry repeated sleepily.  
  
"Youngsters, young adults, adolescents- breakfast, breakfast!" It continued. The knocking stopped and footsteps were fading away.  
  
Jake got up in a hurry, pulling the coverings away and went close to the wall that split the bedrooms. "You guys up?" he called.  
  
"Yeah," Buffy and Matilda said together. Then Buffy's voice sounded, "Slide the wall, if you want."  
  
Jake put his hand against it and immediately it slid out of place. He looked into the girls' room to see them dressed and fixing their hair. Matilda was tying a ribbon around her head and Buffy's hair was down and neat. They both smiled.  
  
Buffy turned to Matilda. "They aren't even dressed,"  
  
"And their hair is all over the place." Matilda said. Both of them giggled.  
  
Jake smirked and when he turned around he saw that all the boys' hands were in their hair, smoothing it. Jack and Jesse's hair were getting neater, but Jake couldn't say the same about Harry.  
  
"Why don't you close that wall so we can change," Jesse told Jake.  
  
Jake went across the room where the hidden wall was poking out and touched it. It closed in a second.  
  
"Does my ribbon look right?" Matilda asked Buffy, as she looked in the mirror.  
  
"Here, let me do it..." Buffy said, undoing the tie and fixing it.  
  
"I wonder what they have for breakfast," Matilda said.  
  
"I just hope its not water with fish," Buffy said.  
  
"With any luck, we might have a normal breakfast. Did you notice that the inside of this boat barely looks like a boat, and sometimes feels like it is not moving?"  
  
"I did," Buffy said. "But I do hear water."  
  
"But I'm not at all seasick," Matilda told her. "Usually I am. It's like they've- *enchanted* this boat to feel like an ordinary house."  
  
Buffy nodded. "There. Finished."  
  
"Looks great," Matilda said. "Worst comes to worst, I'll cook us a meal. If they have some food to be cooked."  
  
"You can cook?"  
  
Matilda nodded. "Learned at a young age. Can you cook?"  
  
"Mmm, I can make... toast." Buffy said.  
  
"What about eggs?"  
  
"I can make... toast," Buffy repeated, making her bed. "Oh and sandwiches."  
  
"Impressive," Matilda said sarcastically, and then the wall opened and the girls were staring at fully dressed boys. "That was quick."  
  
"Breakfast anyone?" Jesse said. The six walked together into the living room.  
  
"You know, Scrauss showed us to our rooms but didn't show anything else," Jake said.  
  
"Didn't know where the bathroom was." Jesse told them.  
  
"It's down that hall," Matilda answered.  
  
"Well, I know now, Jack told me," Jesse said.  
  
Everyone looked at Jack. "How did you know?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I found it. During the night." Jack said gently, remembering last night. Everyone nodded.  
  
"Why do the kids linger?" said a weak voice. Everyone turned around to see a tall man with a wide baggy face, black eyes, and a long carrot like nose. Matilda backed closer into Buffy.  
  
"We were just trying to find some place to eat," said Harry, quickest to speak up. Everyone nodded in agreement.  
  
The man smiled revealing yellow teeth. With one bony finger he pointed to a door.  
"Thanks," Buffy answered for them all. They all backed away and started walking to the door. Quickly they all entered the room. They saw a long wood dining table and went over to it.  
  
"Sit, sit," someone said. Jack heard this and found it familiar. And sure enough, it was the short plump man he had seen outside the bathroom at night. His face was red and cheerful. "The cooks are getting your breakfast ready."  
  
"Great, I'm starving," Jack said and they all sat together.  
  
"Now isn't there something you'd all like to drink?" The man asked. Jack frowned at his cheeriness. Perhaps the thought of them all failing to reach the end of their journey was still lingering in his mind. "Juice? How about Juice?"  
  
"Er-"  
  
"Great!" The man interrupted. "I'm Logan, for all of those who didn't know-"  
  
"Which would be all of us." said Jack.  
  
Logan's eyes flickered with annoyance, but his smile was wide and cheesy. "Give me a holler if you need anything," He disappeared behind swinging doors into the noisy kitchen.  
  
"Anyone who agrees that his joy was not genuine say I." Buffy said.  
  
"I," Everyone said.  
  
"At least he's being nice to us," Matilda said. Jack snorted at this and everyone looked at him. Matilda frowned. "You don't think he's being nice to us?"  
  
"It's more you not being nice to him," Buffy said.  
  
Jack sighed. "Just because he's nice to us now, doesn't mean he's our ally."  
  
"True," Jesse agreed.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Because, Harry," Jack said irritably. "Not everyone is optimistic about this trip."  
  
"Well of course, the Dream catchers..." Jake said. "But he's not a dream catcher."  
  
"Probably not," Jack said. "But they're not our only enemies."  
  
"Is there something you're not telling us?" Buffy said, looking at Jack suspiciously. "Is this about our league or some personal experience?"  
  
"I would die before giving you an insight on my personal experiences."  
  
"Then it has to do with the league?" Matilda concluded.  
  
Jack felt as if everyone was against him. Finally he answered. "Yes."  
  
"Well- share." Jesse demanded.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If it has to do with the league, we should all know," Jake said. "Because we're all in the league and you wouldn't want to know something we all don't. It could put us in danger."  
  
"If it's worth being called a danger," Buffy muttered.  
  
"Look, while I went to the bathroom last night I overheard that man talking... with a tall man. You haven't seen him. Anyways, things were said and the tall man told- Logan- that someone has enemies. That we had enemies."  
  
"Who's someone?" Buffy asked.  
  
Matilda took a guess. "Scrauss?"  
  
Jack shrugged. "That would be my first guess."  
  
"What else?" Jake demanded.  
  
"Tall guy said that we wouldn't make it to the great finish," Jack said.  
  
"Great finish-" Buffy frowned. "The- the room with the box?"  
  
"We do have a long journey," Jake said. "Of course it's got to have some danger."  
  
The group nodded and then the kitchen door opened and out came maids dressed in a black dresses and white apron. Plates were set before them and the maids disappeared as quickly as they came.  
  
"Great!" Jesse said and dug in.  
  
Everyone started to eat, for they ate nothing last night. Scruass entered in the middle of their eating.  
  
"Hello, league. Eat up, there's much to be discussed today." Scrauss said.  
"Mmhmm," Buffy agreed.  
  
"When you are done, come out into the deck. I was there just a minute ago, and the sun is warm and nice." Scrauss gestured to the glass door in front of them, which led outside. "Meet in the White room in about fifteen minutes."  
  
"Where's the White room?"  
  
"You will find it," Scrauss assured them. "Just down the hall. The door is labeled."  
The league finished up and Logan came out smiling but when he saw Scrauss he jumped slightly. "Scrauss..." his voice was very high pitched, and his fat fingers played on a ring of keys.  
  
Scrauss looked at him, as if he were a lower being. "Hello, Logan."  
  
"Just checking on the kids," Logan said, in the same voice. The kids could see clearly that he was trying to be undaunted. "Are you all done?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Logan why don't you take their plates into the kitchen and meet Vicente outside. He will give you instructions there."  
  
"Instructions for what?" Logan asked suspiciously. The League watched this interaction fixedly.  
  
"You will see," Scrauss said.  
  
Logan huffed, his right left thumb scratching one of the keys. "Where is he?"  
  
"Outside." Scrauss said and gestured to the glass door. "He turned the corner, but he is out there. We were speaking with each other just outside that door."  
  
Lagan nodded gallingly. "Fine. But I'm asking the maids to take the meal instead."  
"If that is what you wish," Scrauss said slowly.  
  
With a last glance at the kids, Logan stepped outside and turned the corner.  
  
Scruass bowed. "Good morning to you all and see you in a moment." Scruass left through the door they came in.  
  
"Lets go outside!" Matilda said. They all agreed and stepped outside. It was a very nice sunny morning, and the sea looked beautiful. They hung out on the edge of the boat, just enjoying the breeze.  
  
Harry looked out on it, seeing it's peace but could not bring himself to feel the same way. He stepped back, pushed his glasses up his nose and sat down on one of the chairs. Matilda looked at him and took a seat beside him, though Buffy was still very close by. Jack, Jake and Jesse were on the other side of Buffy, talking, though Jack barely said anything.  
  
Matilda looked at Harry then at her fingers and then back at Harry. "I've noticed that a lot of the people in this league aren't very happy. And I don't think that it is just because we are on this journey."  
  
Harry didn't look up, but played with his wand in his pocket.  
  
"I think it's because of something that was going on in their own lives," Matilda concluded. "You're one of them by the way, if you didn't know."  
  
"I- I recently lost someone."  
  
"Your dad," Matilda guessed.  
  
"No." Harry said and suddenly had a very bad feeling in his stomach. "My parents died when I was one."  
  
"Both?" Matilda said. "Well that's sad already. Whom do you live with then?"  
  
Harry wasn't in the mood about speaking about this. "Aunt, her husband and their son."  
  
"They try to make things better for you?" Matilda asked.  
  
Harry laughed, that other members of the group glanced at him. Harry cleared his throat. "No. They're the worst."  
  
"Worse then my own parents?" Matilda asked.  
  
"Probably." Harry said.  
  
Matilda then laughed. "Doubt it. My parents were horrible people. I was adopted by my teacher."  
  
"Really?" Harry said with interest.  
  
"Yup." Matilda said.  
  
"Hey we should go find the white room," Buffy said and she started walking through the glass door. "These glass doors are very thin," Buffy commented.  
  
"Walk with me," Matilda said and they walked over to the glass doors behind the rest of the group.  
  
"Hey, a ring of keys," Harry said, pointing to Logan's ring of keys that were on the floor.  
  
"Hm," Matilda said, looking at it while holding the glass door open. "Must have dropped it."  
  
****  
  
Yes, barely anything happened in this story I write a lot. Hopefully I will get into more character interactions, as I did with Harry and Matilda. Things need to be said, and stuff needs to be done. More later! Thanks for the reviews, Mike Dean, Brutal 2003, Mockingbirdflyaway, S.M, Random Reader, SpellBlade 5777, Ssphinxx, Jen 30 and xiaoka! 


	6. The White Room

Chapter 6: The White Room  
  
Harry and Matilda followed behind the group, talking about little things and laughing. Harry thought that this summer would be dull and lifeless but Matilda had some talent to bring out the laughter in him. Then again, he didn't think that he would be a wizard in a group of other super powered hermits who fought for their lives and others in different worlds.  
  
Jesse walked closely next to Jake and looked around cautiously, to see if there was any other yellow-toothed man that wondered why kids were wandering.  
  
Buffy looked on the doors. "Bathroom. Room. Room. Room. Laundry room. Supplies..." The group went to the end of the dark hall to see The White Room on their left. "Here it is." Jesse reached for the doorknob and turned. It didn't budge. Jesse tried again.  
  
"With all the powerful kids here, we can't open a doorknob-?" Jack yelled impatiently and finished his sentence with his large vocabulary of foul language.  
  
Buffy pushed forward and turned the doorknob so that the door broke open. "Got it." The group entered curiously.  
  
Buffy blinked several times. She knew why it was called the white room. She squinted to see that everything in the room was white, the walls, the tables and chairs. A strong scent of vanilla lingered in the white air, and did not travel outside the room.  
  
"I thought when you go blind, its all darkness!" Jesse commented.  
  
Jake felt around the walls for any light switches but found no bumps on the walls. They were as smooth as paper.  
  
A few figures of blackness entered the room from another door. Buffy opened her eyes wider to see that it was Scrauss and a tall, thin woman.  
  
"You will get use to it," Scrauss assured them. "Sit."  
  
"Where?" Harry asked, wiping his glasses several times.  
  
"On the chairs, dumb ass!" Jack said.  
  
"Yeah, Harry, over here," Jake said in a calmer tone. In a few seconds, they found their seats. The chairs were almost camouflaged, except for the black sewn lining.  
  
"Welcome, welcome," Scrauss said. "We have much to discuss."  
  
"How long are we going to be on this boat?" Jesse asked.  
  
"You will know in a moment," Scrauss said. "Is everyone here?"  
  
"Yes," They all replied.  
  
"All right then," Scrauss backed away from the table. "Alma?"  
  
The tall woman stepped up. Harry almost gasped because of the size and color of the woman's eyes. They were large and narrow, like a cat's, but had a hue of purplish blue. She stood with good posture, her hand resting on the table and her glittering black nails tapped against the table. She looked upon them with high cheekbones and a pointed nose, in formal business outfit.  
  
"I am Alma. I worked and helped create this ship, which was made to do many more things then an ordinary sailing ship," Alma's tone was brogue but light and she somehow caused the room to be silent as she spoke. "I hope you've had an enjoyable time so far. We have a short distance to go. By tonight you will be camping out on your first destination."  
  
"Will it be as bright as this place?" Jack blurted.  
  
Alma gave him a look but said nothing. Jack stirred.  
  
"The main room of the Factory at your final destination will be as bright as this." Alma said. "The trip can be short, if we work together and fast. You will stay with several people of several species who have offered room."  
  
"Species?" Jack whispered.  
  
"Problems?"  
  
"No," Jack answered weakly and looked at the woman with suspicion.  
  
"Your mission is to get to the factory, and find the Room of Supremacy, a room that contains bottles of the worlds power. You are the only persons who can open this door, with the power that you all possess. Questions?"  
  
The room stayed silent.  
  
"Your job is to break the box on a table in the center of the room. There are dreamcatchers guarding this factory, so working together is a must. They do not hold the powers you do but they will find a way. That is why we must work quickly. Their tactics right now are unknown, for our spies have not returned with details. You will be followed through this trip with Scrauss, myself, and other members of this ship who offer to join. Questions?"  
  
Buffy raised her hand. "Spies?"  
  
"Yes," Alma said. She looked at her, not knowing any other answer to give.  
  
Jake raised his hand. "Who set this all up? Who gathered us all together, who planned this trip and are you all people a part of a group also?"  
  
Alma blinked. "A group we are in, but it is not your concern. We used our powers to gather this up and collect you. We planned the trip."  
  
Matilda raised her hand. "How did you find us all?"  
  
"All right," Scrauss said coming in closer. "Nothing more, nothing more. For the rest of the day, you will all return to your rooms and write an entry in your journal."  
  
"What?" Jack exclaimed. "Why?"  
  
"It will help you keep track and clear your mind," Scrauss explained shortly. "Afterwards you are to take out a sword from the chest and practice sword fighting and other skills."  
  
Buffy had a memory of the last time she had used a sword. It was against someone she loved.  
  
"You may return to your rooms if there are no further topics."  
  
***  
  
"I think, with a swish like this- you can point your enemies sword down to their feet," Jesse said and practiced it with Jake. It had not succeeded.  
  
"I don't see why some of us have to use a sword," Harry said, who was fighting Matilda. Harry had some experience with a sword, but Matilda had some how managed- without any experience at all- to beat him half the time.  
  
"I know, but we might need it at times," Jake answered.  
  
Jack growled at his sudden loss towards Buffy. "You got me that time. Again?"  
  
"Again," Buffy said, who was enjoying this more then anyone. She swung her sword and Jack stopped it.  
  
"I think your getting too much enjoyment out of this," Jesse said. "I'm beat. We've been practicing for hours."  
  
"I didn't notice," Harry said, putting his sword back in the chest. Matilda did the same across the room.  
  
"Yeah okay. We've practiced enough for one day. I think we will be on land soon." Jake said and he saw that Jack and Buffy were still in action. In a louder voice he said, "I think we will be on land soon."  
  
Buffy pointed the sword to Jack's neck. Jack looked at her with great intensity, as sweat tricked. Buffy smiled. "Okay. I'm done."  
  
Just had Jake suspected, they were informed by one of the sailors that they'd be on land in five minutes. They were asked to pack everything that was in their chest into bags that could be carried through a jungle.  
  
The group stood on the dock and was anxious to get on land. When they finally reached it, they strolled off contentedly into the jungle environment. Jack looked around and was reminded of a part of his past he tried so hard to forget.  
  
"We have some trails to walk and we will end in a small cabin somewhere in this forest. We must be there before dark," Another woman said, who was wearing clothes of a jungle explorer. "My name is Jana, speak if you have questions, drink sparingly."  
  
Matilda and Harry exchanged glances.  
  
"Where's Scrauss?" Buffy had to ask. "And the rest?"  
  
Jana pushed back strands of her dirty blond hair, to keep it away from her eyes, which had several wrinkles under them. "They are still on the boat and will not join us on our walk. Come now."  
  
The group followed the strange woman reluctantly through the tangles of trees and bushes. Jack looked around, the memories now getting to his head, and Jack had a strong desire to race out of the jungle as fast as possible.  
  
"Something wrong?" Harry said to Jack. Jack looked at Harry and Matilda, whom stared back.  
  
"No," Jack said disgustingly. "Nothing." When Harry and Matilda looked away, Jack put a hand on his sword. If there was something ready to kill, he wanted to be ready to do the same.  
  
Buffy walked over broken branches, besides Jake and Jesse. She turned to Jake. "I wonder why Scrauss won't walk with us. If there's a shortcut that he and some others might be taking, I'd like to take that path."  
  
"If, perchance, there was a shortcut Scrauss was taking, he should have his reasons for not bringing us along." Jake answered slowly, while ducking under a twisted tree.  
  
"Should?" Buffy realized, and when Jake looked at her, the corners of her lips slowly pointed upward.  
  
"Also, could you picture such a British ancient man like that avoiding tangles and trees?" Jesse added, cleaning his fingernails.  
  
Jake and Buffy laughed. "No," They said together.  
  
"We should be nearby..." Jana said after what seemed like endless walk through a messy jungle. "There should be some smoke from the burning campfire... I can't smell it... won't one of you check?"  
  
"Check how?" Jack spat. Matilda moved farther away from him.  
  
"Some of us don't lack supernatural abilities," Buffy told him. Jack glared.  
  
"I could... morph into a bird and fly up above the forest," Jake suggested.  
  
"See," Buffy said. Jana nodded, and Jake began stripping down to his tightest clothes he was wearing.  
  
Though Buffy had seen a lot of repulsive things in her lifetime, she turned her face gently. Her ears still heard the shrinking, displacing and movement of the bones. Jack watched the entire thing and whispered under his breath.  
  
Soon, Jake was up and above them all as a peregrine falcon, scanning the place for smoke. They must have been nearby because in seconds Jake was on the ground and morphing back. When he was fully human he answered, "Nearby. We're going north so its more west and its about two- three- miles away."  
  
"Excellent job!" Jana said. "I am contented to have such a powerful group. Follow me now, smoke should be smelt soon."  
  
Jake smiled and they followed Jana to an even thicker area. Jack groaned and muttered behind Jake, Jesse and Buffy, while Harry and Matilda walked behind them, making sure not to prick their skin.  
  
"This is getting stupid," Matilda said and finally moved her eyes, which caused loose branches and leaves to blow off to the side to make a clearer path.  
  
"It's getting a bit dark too," Harry said taking out his wand. "*Lumos.*" A light came out from the tip of his wand.  
  
"Cool," Matilda said and Jack didn't bother to say quietly, "showoff."  
  
They walked the three miles, drinking from time to time and finally the smell of smoke and even the whiffs of it lingered around the group. Jana pushed through a leafy bush and the group followed. Jack stepped on flat, dirt, and felt no more bark and leaves scratching his face. A lighted wood hut lay before them, and a large campfire smoked soothingly into the sky. Jack smelt some kind of meat, and his stomach growled loudly.  
  
"Well, you all must be hungry or tired," Jana said. "I'd advise you to eat some and then sleep, so we can get an early start in the morning."  
  
Buffy turned her head towards the lighted hut and saw Scrauss talking inertly with Alma. Jake noticed.  
  
"Either he found a shortcut, or he has some supernatural things of his own," Buffy said in a low voice to Jake.  
  
Jana stood nearby them and let her hair down over her ears.  
  
*****  
  
I'm really sorry for the long updates, I promise to write more quickly. 


	7. Trust

Chapter 7: Trust  
  
The group gathered around the campfire, feasting on animal meat, which disgusted most of the members but they were all hungry and had no other option. They ate without much conversation, away from the adults that, too, decided to eat on logs. Evidently Scrauss was not one of them; he had not come out from the cabin to greet them yet.  
  
Jesse was one of the members use to this food and ate jovially, while surveying the jungle surroundings. Jesse heard the sounds of animals and bugs, whether it was their call or their movement through the bushes and trees. By his second helping of meat, he was thinking about the mission, and wondering why they had such a distance to travel. Jesse looked at the rest of the members picking at their meat, looking solemn and some looking into the jungle with anxiety. Jesse figured he was the person that was least afraid of such a habitat, for he never had the fear of dying. The surroundings seemed more like adventurous fun to Jesse, than a fatal environment.  
  
Jack was the one that was most afraid of the place, Jesse could see clearly. Jack's eyes were distant and he was crouched low to the ground, as if birds were flying ferociously over him and he was ducking in fear of getting hit. But he did not seem disgusted by the meal, like he had eaten food like this before...  
  
"Can I take a walk?" Jake said aloud, that everyone jumped at the sudden speech. Jake gave a disarming smile.  
  
"I would not usually recommend young adults to wander off for walks- but we all know you are not just young adults. You may, but do not walk far. I want you very nearby, so that we are all in sight. When we all start to go in, you are to rush here immediately." Jana said, wiping her hands on her shirt. "Five minutes. Let someone join you."  
  
"I will," Buffy stood. "I'm done with this." she looked at the pile of meat on a large plate, and shivered as a light wind passed.  
  
Jana nodded and the two set off. Jack finished his first slab, and watched the two go beyond some trees.  
  
When Buffy and Jake were far enough, Buffy said, "Are we going to have to eat like that for the rest of the time?"  
  
Jake smiled. "Probably. Then we could start eating bugs too."  
  
They laughed together and their voices bounced off the trees into all directions.  
  
"Well, I suppose I could get use to it," Buffy said, though with some doubt. "I just hope that this all gets over with soon. There's never a break in a Slayers life."  
  
Jake looked at her. "I'm sorry... same with me. The Yeerks- they're gone but- it doesn't seem like it. I lost a lot during these times... a lot, a lot. But I'd rather go back home then stay in this world. I think."  
  
Buffy frowned. "Who did you lose?"  
  
"My cousin, Rachel." Jake said, with a hurtful vivid memory. "She was like me. She could morph also." Jake did not want to explain. "Did you lose anyone recently?"  
  
Buffy looked at the dirt, remembering her last swordfight. "Yes."  
  
Jake saw that she did not want to linger in this subject. "You sure you want to get home?"  
  
"Did I ever say that I wanted to go home?" Buffy reminded him.  
  
"Maybe it's a good thing, in a way, that we were taken away from our lives. We might not get a break from battle but... we get some kind of break."  
  
Buffy nodded. "I will never forget my real life though. Every time I try to escape... it follows me. It always has, it always will. I will always be the slayer, I will always be- fighting."  
  
"Can you picture life without being a slayer, without fighting and saving the world? Do you think that it would be all that good?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "You're wise." she joked.  
  
Jake grinned and turned his head over to the campfire, which was still visible. Jake heard movement all at once. "I think we'd better head back."  
  
**  
  
The four members left in the group got up and walked slowly into the hut. Harry walked alongside Matilda. Harry was about to say something, when someone shoved him to the right. Matilda, who was on his right, fell against a tree.  
  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, and looked to see what the cause was. He only saw Jack sneer at him, while walking with Jesse. They walked ahead of Harry and Matilda and engaged it a low, somber conversation.  
  
"That Jack is something," Matilda said, with glaring eyes. She rolled a rock the size of a light bulb in Jack's path and tripped him slightly. Harry and Matilda sniggered, and Jack walked into the hut sulkily.  
  
"You got him before me," Harry said, holding his wand.  
  
Matilda smiled and brushed herself off. "My skirt got some more dirt on it, I sure wish they'd give us more clothes to wear."  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, pulling on his baggy sweater. It was the first time he was aware at the baggy clothing he was wearing; all of it use to belong to his obese cousin, Dudley. Harry wished he had been wearing his Hogwarts uniform at the time of being called.  
  
Matilda smiled pleasantly when Harry opened the door for her. She looked into the oil lamp lit hut. There was a small room with table and pillows on the floor. But the walls interested her more. They hung beautiful, artistic paintings and rug and quilt designs. The place smelled like wood and Jasmine, and Matilda noticed that there were a lot of Jasmine flowers in pots on the floor. The sounds of birds were heard somewhere and there were three hangings on the walls, which were used as doors into other rooms.  
  
"We have limited space in hut," A man said, coming out of a brightly colored hanging of the sun. He was tall, thin, dark skinned, bald, and was using a wood cane. He smiled, which made his face enlarge, and showed few teeth. "Children will share room, but boys and girls will be separated by thick covering."  
  
"He's leaving out a few words, isn't he?" Jesse whispered to Jack.  
  
Jack was focused more on the man's appearance, especially his eyes. The large narrow green eyes looked familiar and natural in a wild habitat but unnatural on a human face...  
  
"Your room," The man gestured to the hanging of the sun.  
  
At that moment, Buffy and Jake burst in, and breathed heavier than normal; it was suggested that they had ran here.  
  
The group squeezed into their small dark room. There were six thick blankets folded neatly in the corner of the cold, small room There was a covering hanging on the wall that split the room in two. The group figured it out.  
  
"We have to sleep on the floor with only a bunch of blankets?" Jack said. "Where's the boat, I could sleep there."  
  
"Sleep well, group." The man said, and touched a dream catcher made of bright feathers and brown string. The man slipped out.  
  
Matilda jumped and let out a yelp at something on the floor and Harry quickly stomped his foot on the crawling bug. "Dead," Harry announced and looked at the group. Each held a disgusted face.  
  
"I never thought that I would again sleep in a jungle." Jack said aloud.  
  
"You slept in a jungle before?" Matilda asked. Jack looked at her, and did not deny it.  
  
"How about before we sleep, we talk a bit. How we are going to go about this mission, and stuff. For a while. We do have to sleep."  
  
"Fine," Buffy said and pushed the hanging out of the way so that everyone could see each other. The girls sat on one side and the boys sat on another side all with their blanket.  
  
Jake cleared his throat. "There are some things that are absent in this mission. Maybe we will soon find out, maybe not. The important thing is that despite our differences and behaviors, we all have to be friends and work together."  
  
"Doubtful," Jack said. "Look, I've been put in this position before. Sort off. And there's some things we need to do first."  
  
"Like what?" Harry said, speaking for the rest of the group.  
  
Jack licked his lip and took out a pocketknife and a thick stick. He started to rub the stick against the knife, sharpening it. He looked at the group. "We need a leader."  
  
"What?" Buffy said, louder then anyone else. "That's stupid."  
  
"Its not," Jack said, strands of bark falling into his lap. "It's obvious. We need some kind of judge, some kind of person to- to lead us, and say what's unreasonable or not."  
  
"I thought Scrauss was our leader." Matilda said quietly.  
  
"Yeah and you see him very often, don't you?" Jack said nastily. "A leader between us. Between us kids."  
  
"That's stupid," Buffy repeated.  
  
"I think what Buffy means is we are all natural leaders in our own worlds. It would be impossible to chose the greatest leader out of- great leaders." Jake said slowly.  
  
"I'm not really a leader," Harry said hesitantly.  
  
"Nor I," Jesse said.  
  
"Not me." Matilda said.  
  
"Well we all know you aren't a leader of anything." Jack said.  
  
"You don't know about her life anymore then we know about yours!" Harry snapped.  
"Sticking up for her, eh?" Jack said, smiling maliciously. "Sorry to have offended your girlfriend."  
  
Matilda blushed and Buffy stepped in. "You guys, we don't have time for this. Lets just say Jack's idea is irrational and move on. What else were you going to say, Jake?"  
  
Jack stated laughing, that it ringed throughout the small hut. "I bet you want Jake to be leader, don't you?"  
  
Buffy looked at him. "I'm nobody's follower."  
  
"Nor am I." Jack said. He grinned. "So I guess who I'm running against."  
  
"You're running against no one because there's no position you're running for." Jake said. "And when have you ever been leader?"  
  
"I'm not too proud of where I was most like a chief," Jack said slowly, sharpening his knife harder. He snuck a glance at Jesse, but no one else noticed. "I was once, stranded on an island with other British schoolboys. Hm. I do not like to recall that memory, but yet, it never seems to leave me. I did things...that I'm not proud of but."  
  
The room waited for Jack to finish. Instead, he tucked away his pocketknife.  
  
Buffy was the first to speak up. "There will be no leader. We will work together, and anyone who is most a leader will shine out and be the leader. Another thing is that... whatever's going on in our real lives... we don't need to share. I'm sure we all have disgusting pasts, that best not be mentioned. But we have to trust each other," Buffy's voice lowered. "We need to trust each other because there are no others in this world we can trust. Problems?"  
  
"No," Harry said with agreement. He had no wish to share his ordeals to anyone in the group. Except, perhaps, Matilda.  
  
"I'm still hanging on to the leader thing." Jack said.  
  
"Well stop." Jake said.  
  
"Dictatorship." Matilda murmured.  
  
"Sleep. Now." Buffy told everyone and everyone lay on the hard, dirty wood flooring.  
  
Jesse sighed, and wrapped the covers around him. He looked over at Jack, whom was staring at the ceiling, in deep thought. Jesse crouched near him. Jack looked at him, startled.  
  
"Just because you're in a jungle environment, doesn't mean you'll turn into whatever you were when you were stuck on the island."  
  
"I know, I know. But like I said... it never leaves me."  
  
"And why do you think that?" Jesse said.  
  
Jack closed his eyes and was silent. In a low whisper, that only Jesse could hear, he replied, "It's kind of like you and your fountain of youth. Once you get a taste of it, it changes you so much, that you don't remember what it was like before. With me- you wonder if it ever changed you at all."  
  
****  
  
Even though 'Lord of the Flies' is at some parts vulgar and confusing, it really is engrossing and a good book because it's spiritual (everything represents something) and the characters are vivid. If you read it, you will understand the parts with Jack and his jungle better. 


	8. The Trail

Chapter 8: The Trail  
  
Everyone awoke at the sound of birds flapping their wings rapidly and yelling voices. Buffy sat up, looking around the dark room. A single ray of light from the sun fell through a small hole in the roof. Buffy looked at the door and saw that it was waving gently, as if wind had just touched it.  
  
Jack cursed getting up and his hands went through his red hair. The rest of the group sat up.  
  
The flapping of wings slowly faded away as the sound of voices increased. Jake stood and peered into the main room, to see a hot summer- like day shining over the room, which was filled with large birds in their cages. They were large and colored like an autumn tree. Jana, who was putting a bird into a cage, noticed him.  
  
"'Lo Jake. Birds got out of control. Are the rest of you up?" Jana smiled. Jake nodded sleepily. "Good. Breakfast is outside by the campfire, better get there before all the foods gone. We start hikin' in about half an hour, so no more of the dreary look."  
  
"Right." Jake said and turned to his group members. "Foods by the campfire."  
  
"What are we having?" Jesse asked. Jake shrugged. "Oh- well then- where's the bathroom?"  
  
"I don't think you want to find out *what* the bathroom is." Matilda said timidly. Jesse groaned.  
  
The group got up and went into the main room. Jack froze. "Where- where did all these birds come from?"  
  
"Don't know. They're cute." Matilda said, smiling at one of the smaller ones.  
  
"I've seen them before. Their eyes- I've seen them." Jack said with undoubtedly.  
  
"They don't look like any known species," Jesse said.  
  
"Well, there are birds some of us might have seen that others have not." Harry remembered Faux, Dumbledore's pet phoenix.  
  
"Their eyes look a bit familiar," Buffy said and smiled when she saw the apprehension in Jacks eyes. "But they don't look deadly."  
  
"Yeah, but their eyes look exactly like the man that directed us to our room." Jake concluded. "Maybe that's where you've seen them."  
  
"No, I've seen them before- before-" Jack said.  
  
"In Britain?" Harry said, cynically.  
  
"Well, you should have seen some while we were traveling here," Jana piped in. "The people we are staying with can turn into these creatures- that's why their eyes are the same. They're rare, near extinction and only live around here."  
  
"I've seen them before," Jack said, his firm voice starting to weaken. "In another jungle..."  
Jana looked at him. "Impos-"  
  
"What is this place?" Jack demanded. "Where is this place?"  
  
"Don't freak out, Jack." Jesse said calmly. "Lets get something to eat."  
  
The group went out by the campfire where the man that had shown them their room was serving food. The group sat down on the log in one row and the man handed them some food while asking their names. After handing them the food he went over to a woman like himself who was pouring water. Matilda watched the man whisper to the woman and the woman immediately went over to their side holding halved coconuts that were used as cups for their water.  
  
The woman handed each of them a coconut cup, and handled the last one carefully. "And the last bowl to you." she said to Jesse.  
  
Jesse took it. "Thank you," He poured the contents into his mouth but immediately he spit it out back in the cup. The woman looked at him. "I'm sorry- it's just- that was- not water-" Jesse, and couldn't stop himself from spitting more out.  
  
"Oh, maybe bit of coconut and spices got into it," The woman took it. "I hand you fresh one."  
  
"Thanks," Jesse said watching the woman go inside with the bowl. "Spices that taste like dirt."  
  
Jack raised his eyebrows and ate. He looked over at the man, who was talking to a small child like him. The man left into the house and the child dragged his skinny legs to the nearest log. He looked at Jack.  
  
Jack looked at him. Feeling slightly threatened and annoyed Jack took out his pocketknife and carefully cut the fruits in small pieces. The child turned away. Jack smiled with satisfaction, and put his pocketknife away.  
  
The group finished eating and Jana said she still had some preparations to make. So the group sat in a circle, talking like friends do. Matilda asked what Jake could morph into. Jake couldn't name all of them, but when tiger came up, Jesse dared him to turn into one. The group watched him go from human to tiger to human, impressed.  
  
"Now I heard you are a genius." Jake said to Matilda, though Jake's tone was gentle and habitually used on little girls.  
  
"Yes," Matilda said. "I take advanced classes. They're hard but enjoyable."  
  
Jack said he didn't believe it. Buffy said no one cared what he believed or didn't believe.  
  
"What is- the square root of 841?" Jesse asked.  
  
"29." Matilda said automatically.  
  
"I'm not sure if that's right, but okay." Jesse laughed. They were all laughing when Jack yelled "Hey!"  
  
The group looked in his direction and laid eyes on Jack glaring menacingly at the small bronze child. The small child's hand was holding Jack's pocketknife as if he just slipped it out.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jack ripped the pocketknife away from the child. The child stared. "I said-"  
  
"Jack-"  
  
"No- no- the kid tried to steal my knife!" Jack said and his eyes made the ugly child cringe. "Do you want me to use this on you?" he asked him.  
  
"Jack!" Matilda said.  
  
"The boy fond of shiny objects," The man with the narrow eyes soon came to the child's side. The man put a hand around the boy. "We do not lack punishment here. Very sorry. Jana is ready for travel."  
  
Jack growled, and returned his knife to its previous dwelling.  
  
***  
  
The League traveled through the forest with some difficulty; some of their somnolent and dreary eyes did not catch the tree roots or twigs that littered the floor. This happened so often, Jack did not even smile when it occurred anymore. Jana would occasionally warn them, but she found that it had little effect. There was more than tripping involved, including aching muscles and sweating. The trees' shade helped little.  
  
"How much more?" Jack said, after an arduous two hours.  
  
Jana jumped over a large tree branch. "We have more ways to go. C'mon, the sunlight is out and at it's greatest, look at your surroundings."  
  
"My head is more focused to the ground," Harry said, who had just tripped over the large tree branch.  
  
"What's there to look at? There are trees. Oh, and we just past some trees. And you know what's coming up ahead, let me guess, more trees." Buffy said grumpily.  
  
"-And bugs," Matilda added.  
  
"-And birds," Jake said.  
  
"-And dirt." Jesse added.  
  
Jana rolled her eyes. "We will meet the ends of these forests in about one hour. Drink up your water, and we'll stop for fifteen minutes."  
  
Harry drank a little of his water, saving the rest when he really needed it.  
  
"I didn't know it'd be this long of a trip." Matilda said looking at her low quantity of water.  
  
"If you are in need, I have water to spare." Harry said, though had no wish to.  
  
"Aw, Harry you're so nice," Matilda said, wrapping her arm around his. Harry at first felt tense, but then he found his fingers intertwining with hers comfortably.  
  
Everyone took notice of this affectionate gesture, but it was not spoken aloud. Jana and Jesse merely smiled at this while Jack hit it with a scornful look. Jake and Buffy glanced at each other.  
  
"I suppose there is good friendship coming from this." Jake whispered to Buffy as they walked together.  
  
"*Very* good friendship." Buffy smiled and Jake returned it.  
  
Another fifteen minutes of endless walking and Jana finally gave them a moments rest. Everyone used this time preciously. They sat on the ground, stretched against the trees and consumed large dosages of water.  
  
"We've been making great progress. In short time we should make it to the deserts. We will eat and then make our way through to the nearest town and rest." Jana informed them. "From there, we should be able to make it to the mountains and to the Factory."  
  
Everyone looked at her.  
  
"Oh c'mon, in two days you will all be home in your own, separate worlds."  
  
At this, Harry caught Matilda's eyes for a second but she turned quickly away, her brown hair hiding her face from this rather disappointing news.  
  
"I have a question, why do we have to go through seas and jungles and deserts just to get to some stupid factory in the mountains?"  
  
"Well," Jana said slowly. "There is a certain trail we must follow to get exactly where we want. Many have attempted to go to the factory by taking different routes but when they got to the mountains there was nothing there. We are not sure when this trail starts, but people have taken our route and entered successfully to the factory."  
  
"Oh, now this tiring trip makes sense." Buffy said. Her head was against the tree under good shade.  
  
"Few people know of this trail so we are hoping that some of the Dream catchers will get lost."  
  
"Yes, hopefully." Jesse said just as the earth shook. Everyone stirred.  
  
"What was that?" Jack asked, but Jana looked as surprised as he.  
  
"Earthquake?"  
  
"Too gentle," Matilda judged.  
  
"Large animal passing by?" Buffy guessed.  
  
"Too forceful." Jake figured.  
  
"Perhaps, several- several- large animals passing by." Jesse said and everyone looked into his direction to see wild animals in the distant coming their way. Fast.  
  
"Good Lord." Jack said, squinting to see better.  
  
It was perhaps several seconds that they all lay there, tired, watching as this large stampede came closer and closer to becoming the cause of this group's brutal and horrifying death, until Jesse finally uttered sensible words.  
  
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"  
  
With several screams, everyone jumped into the bushes nearest to them. When Harry had landed on safety he searched for Matilda. It was Jesse that saw to it that everyone was out of the way when he finally jumped into the nearest bush.  
  
The stampede approached them, loud, thumping and shaking like the deepest earthquake the group had ever felt.  
  
*** Lol there was a reason for that. 


	9. The Golden Lands

Chapter 9: Golden Lands  
  
When the noise started to fade into the distant, one by one they stuck their heads out to peer at their surroundings. Soon, the jungle held a composed atmosphere.  
  
The group, each a little irritated in their own way, started to climb out of the bushes, onto the rough dirt ground. Buffy pulled a twig out of her hair. "Is everyone all right?" she mumbled.  
  
The group mumbled their replies. Jana was the first to stand. She looked into the distance. "No sight of them," Jana said, shaking her head. "I don't understand- how they came-"  
  
"How they came? They started running, that's how they came," Jack said, brushing himself off.  
  
"You mean that they don't usually come stomping around here like that?" Jesse asked.  
  
Harry placed his eyes on Matilda, who was frantically brushing her skirt off. He came closer to her. "You have a twig-" he reached for her hair but she immediately ran her hands through her hair.  
  
"I'll get it out," she said gently. "Thanks." Harry merely frowned.  
  
Jana looked around, as if trying to figure out something. "This area is a rather serene place, with few small animals, the most are birds."  
  
"Well, other than more stampedes, we won't have to worry about violent lions and stuff," Buffy said. "I think I could handle one though- vampires are really strong and-"  
  
"They must know about this passing!" Jana yelled immediately.  
  
"Who?" Jake asked. "The dream catchers?"  
  
Jana nodded. "I mean, something must have scared the animals to all run together, and in this direction."  
  
"Do you think they are following us?" Jesse asked. At this, everyone turned their heads to look into the forest, as if they were going to find dream catchers jumping out from their hiding spots ready to attack.  
  
"Perhaps," Jana said. "We must move quickly. Everyone up. There should be a water hole ahead." Everyone stood up, grumbling and forced their aching legs to walk more.  
  
"It was something like gallantness, back there, when you made sure everyone was hidden safely." Matilda said, when Jesse started to walk beside her. Harry, on Matilda's other side, observed the two closely.  
  
Jesse smiled. "Thanks. But it was nothing heroic. I live for eternity, remember? The stampede was no threat to me."  
  
"Right." Matilda said. "That's cool."  
  
Jesse looked down at Matilda after brushing back his hair. Matilda, at that moment, felt very short. "It's not really. It's not right to live forever, you have to die sometime, it's the natural thing. Now, I know that this group is anything but natural and normal but- you see- you all get to depart this life. You get to serve your purpose, and then you get to rest in peace. I will stay forever."  
  
"Is it lonely?"  
  
"I try not to think about that. I do have my family. My unordinary family. One time- there was a young girl, younger then you- her name was-" Jesse paused. "It was- uh- I can't remember. It wasn't that long of a time ago either..."  
  
"Its okay. Continue." Matilda was implicated.  
  
Jesse looked at her reluctantly, but cleared his throat. "I- I think I asked her to drink from the fountain when she turned seventeen and I'd come find her- or she'd come find me... yeah."  
  
"Do you think she did?" Matilda asked.  
  
Jesse sighed desolately.  
  
"I'm- I'm sorry." Matilda said. "I didn't mean to start up a- forlorn conversation."  
  
"It's all right." Jesse assured her.  
  
The group walked closely together the rest of the way until they got to a small but flowing water hole.  
  
"Well, get some water." Jana said.  
  
"Is it sanitary?" Jack asked.  
  
"Looks sanitary enough for me." Buffy said, filling up her water. The rest of the group agreed. Harry found himself getting water beside Jesse who seemed disturbed.  
  
Harry cleared his throat. "I couldn't help overhearing the conversation Matilda and you were having earlier about- you." Jesse said nothing so Harry continued. "I- I just wanted to say that I'm sorry also. It's painful to be reminded of- all that..."  
  
Jesse was silent for a few moments. "Winnie."  
  
"Winnie?"  
  
"Her name was Winnie. It didn't happen so long ago, right? But I forget her name."  
"It happens," Harry said.  
  
"It doesn't happen to me, not when it concerns her." Jesse said in a low whisper. "I never forget her name. She is always in my mind. How could I wake up one morning and forget her name like that? How long will it be until I forget her name altogether? Or what if I forget her?!"  
  
Harry frowned. He tried remembering his friends and family. His godfather... the one that died recently... his name was... it started with an s... yes... Sar- Ser- Seri- Aha! It was Sirius. Harry at first was happy at remembering but frowned at the fact that it had taken him so long to recall it. "Oh my God."  
  
They both sat there. "Weird, right?"  
  
Harry nodded vigorously. "It must be the heat. We're tired. We've been in this jungle too long. But we'll be all right." Jesse nodded in agreement. "Right?!"  
  
"Of course," Jesse said. "Nothing important. Lets not think about it."  
  
"Yes, yes- ok."  
  
They traveled on for what seemed like days. The weather was getting hot and humid and every step they took seemed to take all their strength. Gradually, as they went on, the Jungle got less dense and became more of an open atmosphere. They moved until they passed all the trees and flat, golden lands were ahead of them.  
  
Matilda surveyed the scenery. "We are-"  
  
Jana smiled. "-Out of the Jungle and into the-"  
  
"Desert." Buffy finished. She wiped her forehead. "My question is when will we be out of this place."  
  
"Before nightfall." Jana said sitting on the ground. The group followed her suit. She dug into her backpack and pulled out six brown sacks. "Your lunches."  
  
Each person looked into his or her sack with disappointment. After a long morning of walking, they half expected something larger and more fulfilling. Instead, there were a couple of sliced fruits and vegetables and a small strip of overcooked meat. Jana ate quickly and noticed their faces. "Eat up, now!"  
  
Hungry, everyone started to eat. It was silent, eating in the middle of nowhere, the sun high above the horizon, burning their faces. Matilda took the ribbon out of her hair and then tied it around all her hair, creating a small, messy ponytail.  
  
"We've taken long enough. Up, so we can meet a town before sunset. Up."  
  
Every stood and brushed the sand off themselves. Harry took a great sigh. "Isn't there someway we can make this part of the trip easier?"  
  
Jana looked at him. "How..."  
  
"Well, I have my wand and I'm sure I can think up some spell." Harry took out his wand and noticed that a strip of his wand had but cut. "Who cut my wand?!"  
  
Everyone just looked at him. "I'm sure it still works," Jake said.  
  
"I think it looks pretty." Jack said.  
  
"Excuse me?" Harry said. Then Harry remembered Jack's pocketknife... "You- you did this didn't you!"  
"Come again?" Jack said, crinkling his lunch bag into a ball. "I- I didn't chip your wand."  
  
"Yes you did, with your knife!" Harry said. "You even chipped that one broad stick, before, when we were talking about leaders and stuff."  
  
"Leaders?" Jana said. "Boys we don't have time-"  
  
"Which, you stole by the way." Jack said.  
  
"I stole- *I* stole?!" Harry said. "Why would I do that, why?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe because I insulted your girlfriend or something," Jack said and Harry's mouth widened. "Look I know you took my stick, I saw bark pieces on your blanket."  
  
"And that's how you know I took it, because of some pieces of bark? You never thought that maybe a wind came in and did that or something?" Harry said.  
  
"Wind? What wind?" Jack said.  
  
"Look I know that if you thought I took your stick that you would, indeed, do something bad to me. So what did you do, eh? You chipped my wand!"  
  
"Your right," Jack said.  
  
"So you admit it?!" Harry said, thinking he went into victory in this debate.  
  
"I admit that I would do something bad to you." Jack explained.  
  
"Then what did you do?" Harry said.  
  
"I scraped up that dead bug you stepped on and put it in your shoe," Jack said coolly.  
  
"Oh?" Harry said looking at his sneakers. "Oh! Gross!"  
  
"At least its not alive." Buffy said.  
  
"None of them were." Jack said. "C'mon lets get a move on."  
  
"Them?" Harry repeated.  
  
"I saw some squashed up mosquitoes. Put them in too." Jack said, ready to continue their walk.  
  
Harry looked down at his sneakers.  
  
"Oh we don't have time," Jana said. "The bugs are there and will be there until our next stop."  
  
"Yes, lets go, I'm bored." Buffy started walking behind Jana. Matilda quickly glanced at Harry's shoes, grimaced and then walked with Buffy.  
  
Harry started walking thinking of the bugs with every heavy step he took. Jesse and Jake walked beside him. Jack, who walked beside Jesse, looked at Harry. Harry looked at him. "Know you took my wand."  
  
"Know you took my stick," Jack said maliciously, watching the way Harry walked. "Ass."  
  
***************  
  
I know my postings have not been much quicker, it is because of reviews. Anyways, thanks for all those who have kept reviewing. 


	10. Riot

Chapter 10: Riot  
  
They began to see green grass and dirt again. Trees and plants were starting to grow, and they reached some hills. They climbed over, climbed down and over again. All of this took effort, and no one spoke until they saw lights and wood buildings.  
  
"We've made it to town," Jana said, as the sun seemed to lower. "Come."  
  
The group was happy to meet a habited place. The ground was still of yellow dirt, and the buildings were all lined up, looking a bit like a town out of an old western movie. They heard chatter coming from the lighted buildings and people walked the streets. They wore cloaks and robes and long skirts of monotonous colors, and some spoke in a fast paced language that no one in the group understood.  
  
"In here," Jana said opening a creaking wood door that said 'LODGING' on it.  
  
"Is this- on the route still?" Matilda asked.  
  
"Yes. The route is to pass through this town so we can go anywhere, as long as we don't stray away from the town." Jana went to the main desk. Harry looked around. The place had a warm brown tone, with a fireplace and comfortable seating. Pictures hung of the walls; they were of plants and landscapes from many different places. Some people sat and engaged in the unfamiliar native language.  
  
The woman smiled behind the desk. "Ecumé."  
  
Jana shook her head.  
  
"O?" The woman's said. "Bienvenido!"  
  
Jana shook her head again.  
  
"Bienvenue?"  
  
"English, Pat, English!" Jan said impatiently. "The second language here, it's used as often as your own."  
  
"Apologies," Pat said. "I had a couple come in and it took me seven tries." When she spoke the vouls, she dragged it long.  
  
"Perhaps you should ask them the language and not make yourself guess all the time." Jana said. "Three rooms, next to each other." Jana slipped an envelope to Pat.  
  
Pat opened it and read the parchment inside. Buffy bent to see what it read but all she noticed was the name 'Scruass' before Pat folded it and slipped away. She handed Jana five keys. "2 each for two rooms and one key for your room."  
  
"Gracias," Jana said and they both smiled. "Come group." She didn't take them far down the hall. "Room six for the girls, seven for the boys. Here, Buffy and Matilda can each have a key. Now, you boys have to decide who should have these two."  
  
"I lose things," Jesse backed away.  
  
"What if I need to morph?" Jake said. "You two can have a key each," He said to Harry and Jack. Jana handed the keys over.  
  
"I didn't think you lads would let me." Jack said, as they put it in their pockets.  
  
"Now- it is not to dark yet. You can explore the town, for maybe half an hour but then I want you back here, wash up, practice a little and sleep. You have another long day ahead of you. You have a box to get tomorrow." Jana smiled, and gave them some money each. "This town- it's got bad people in it. You see some wrongdoing, feel free to practice your fighting skills. I'll check to make sure you are all in on time. G'night."  
  
"Night." The group chorused and Jana went into her room. Buffy opened the door. "Ah. A real bed."  
  
The two beds were not luxurious, but beds still. There was one window, a desk, and a night table. There was also a small bathroom in the corner, not too pleasant either.  
  
"I'm just glad to sleep on a bed," Matilda said and lay on her bed. She could tell that it had been slept on many, many times.  
  
Buffy sat on the edge of her bed, moved, and she could hear the springs. Both the girls smiled and went outside the room after minutes of rest. The boys were already out.  
  
"Hey, you guys want to explore the town?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Duh," Matilda said, and for some reason felt weird saying it.  
  
"We thought you might be tired." Jake said.  
  
"We've rested enough," Buffy said.  
  
"Mm. Well- lets find a murderous mob and fight!" Jack said.  
  
"We aren't supposed to go looking for trouble Jack." Matilda said.  
  
"I know," Jack said, running his hand against his sword. "Lets go then."  
  
The group walked away and out of 'LODGING.' They looked at the town, close to darkness. They walked together, passing by people. Jesse accidentally bumped into someone, and the person dropped the container he was holding. "Sor-" When the man looked up at him, Jesse saw that he was not completely man. His mouth was closed, but his bottom lip was so small that it made his lips look triangular. The man's nose was pointed, he had a symbol tattooed onto his left cheek, and his ear was square like. The man's chin even ended in a point.  
  
"O wrio." The man said and walked on.  
  
The rest of the group raised their eyebrows. "Lets- uh- go in here," Jesse said blinking and opened the nearest door. Inside it was loud and full of people, they were playing games with cards and balls, drinking at what looked like a bar, and live music played.  
  
"Great. We're in a club." Buffy said. "C'mon guys lets-"  
  
Jack was already walking around the place and to the bar. Jake and Buffy followed him. "Jack c'mon-"  
  
"Yeah, I would like a bottle of Rum." Jack said.  
  
"Jack!" Buffy said. She noticed that the man behind the counter looked exactly like the man Jesse had bumped into. In fact, everyone had pointed features and tattoos on their faces or arms. "Your underage."  
  
"This man didn't ask anything," Jack said. Buffy grabbed Jack by his shirt and dragged him off the seat with her slayer strength. When she released him, he lost balance and bumped into a waiter with a tray of drinks in small glasses. This man fell and his drinks spilled right on a table where a man with two women each at his arm was playing cards. The cards were wet, and some coins fell of the table.  
  
"Ani!" The man yelled at the waiter who spilled the drinks. The man began to speak English, only to give a flood of swear words. The waiter had no time to speak. A second man, who was at a nearby table, started to pick up the coins and placing it in his pockets.  
  
"What are you doing?" The man yelled. He then turned around sharply. "Those are mine!"  
The second man's eyes held shock, and he did not look away, but he kept picking up the coins, as fast as his fat hands could move.  
  
"Stop it," The man said firmly as his woman stepped away. "Stop it. STOP IT!" He took out what looked like a gun- sized crossbow. The second man back away and knocked over two tables. Jake and Buffy watched as more people became angry and started taking out their weapons. The place broke into a riot.  
  
"Yeah!" Jack yelled, and smiled. "Look what you caused me to do, Buffy." He was laughing but then the waiter who he had spilled everything took out a tube and he blew into it, and hard, small balls came out and towards him. "Whoa!" Jack yelled and took out his sword.  
  
A girl started attacking Buffy for no reason. Buffy jabbed her and punched her in the nose that she fell to the ground before Jake. "What are we going to do?"  
  
Jake watched Matilda moving things with her eyes, to stop men from attacking Jesse and Harry yelled something out at a man and he became rigid. Then, being near the door, they exited quickly.  
  
"We have to leave," Jake said. "But Jack-"  
  
Jack was using his sword and fighting two waiters at once. It was sloppy, but the waiters weren't doing any better.  
  
"He can't kill anyone-" Buffy said when the woman stood and started attack. "Would- you- stop- it!" Buffy yelled, ducking out of the way, punching and then kicking the girl to the ground. Buffy then grabbed a broken chair leg and smacked it against the back of her head. She laid there, eyes closed.  
  
"Buffy!" Jake said.  
  
"I knocked her unconscious," Buffy said. "C'mon." Buffy went to Jack's aid by grabbing a waiter and throwing him across the room. "Sorry!" Buffy yelled after.  
  
Jake looked around, and kicked the unconscious girl under the table so people wouldn't trip on her and pushed a man out of the way. The man, not going very far, lunged at Jake and they fell to the ground.  
  
"What are you doing?" Jack said angrily, wiping sweat off his forehead.  
  
Buffy replied, "Saving your-"  
  
"Ahh!" Jake yelled in pain and Buffy and Jack looked to see that the man that had been fighting Jake had stabbed him at his left abdomen.  
  
"Jake!" Buffy yelled. The man who had stabbed Jake threw him, pushed him against the bar counter, and Jake toppled over. Buffy ran to Jake and Jack gave the man a smack in the middle of his face.  
  
"My nose-"  
  
"It wasn't that pretty anyways," Jack said and with another punch the man fell to the ground. Jack went to Buffy and Jake. "He okay?"  
  
"You care?" Buffy said, checking his pulse.  
  
"Well, he's an important person to our group- we have a box to get tomorrow." Jack said. A man came flying in and hit the shelves of glasses, nearly missing Jack.  
  
"He's breathing, but unconscious," Buffy took Jake and put him over her shoulder. "We have to get out. Now."  
  
"But we were having some fun." Jack said, breathlessly.  
  
"I can carry you on my other shoulder." Buffy warned.  
  
"Oh, Fine, C'mon." Jack led the way out, pushing people out of the way. They made it outside. "It's getting dark. The others-"  
  
"Can you go find them? They shouldn't have gone far," Buffy said. "I'm going to take Jake to the rooms. Tell them what happened."  
  
"If you think that's best," Jack said and was off in an instant. Buffy walked the distance, into the building and to their rooms. Buffy fished for her key, found it and unlocked the door. Quickly she lay Jake on the bed and went into the bathroom where they had left the first aid. Buffy went to him, lifted his shirt and looked at the wound. It was deep, but the slash was about 2 inches in diameter. Buffy pressed a towel against the wound and talked to Jake. "Jake. Wakeup. Jake." Buffy finished with a bandage wrapped around his abdomen. That was when he began to stir, and awaken.  
  
"Jake! Are you ok?" Buffy asked.  
  
Jake looked down at his wound. "What did you do?" He said weakly. Buffy only opened her mouth but Jake started to morph. Buffy backed away and Jake became a tiger. Then, he morphed back into a human, and ripped off the bandage. "All healed."  
  
Buffy scoffed. "Well- a waste of my time-"  
  
"Thank you, anyways." Jake sat up, and pushed his shirt back down. "You didn't know. It's fine. Hope I didn't worry you-"  
  
"Who said I was worried?" Buffy said. "I knew you were going to heal."  
  
Jake smiled. "So- what happened. I- I don't remember."  
  
Buffy sat next to him. "A guy stabbed you, and you got knocked out I brought you here and Jack went to find the others." Buffy shifted. "I hope- you can avoid being stabbed, we kind of need you tomorrow." Jake nodded, and they sat silently. Buffy looked at him "So- you just morph and your healed."  
  
"Yes," Jake lifted his shirt. "Nothing."  
  
Buffy, put her hand on where the wound was. "Nothing," she whispered, feeling around.  
  
"Okay that's getting weird," Jake put his shirt down. Buffy smiled and Jake returned it. Then they looked at each other in silence.  
  
"Sorry," Buffy said gently. "Its just- I thought I was a quick healer." Jake didn't reply. He began to notice how close he was to her. He shifted closer a little and Buffy did the same.  
  
Matilda and the group came into the room and stopped at the scene. Buffy and Jake backed away from each other, and Buffy moved slightly away on the bouncy, springy bed. "We were just-"  
  
"Doesn't matter," Jack said, when Harry, Jesse and Matilda couldn't speak. "Group meeting. Now."  
  
****************** 


	11. Indistinct

Chapter 11: Indistinct  
  
"Great. We're in a club." Buffy said. "C'mon guys lets-"  
  
Jack was already walking to the bar. Jake and Buffy followed him. Matilda looked at Jesse and Harry. "I don't think we should stay here."  
  
Harry nodded. "We should go- but Jack and them-"  
  
"Nobody said we had to stay all together." Jesse said slowly. "I mean- as long as we don't travel alone- I think we can take care of our-"  
  
At that moment, by the bar, Buffy grabbed Jack by the shirt and dragged him off his seat. He lost balance and bumped into a waiter with a tray of drinks in small glasses. The waiter spilled the drinks on a table where a man, with women aside him, was playing cards. Coins sprinkled down the table.  
  
"Ani!" The man yelled at the waiter who spilled the drinks. The man began to speak English, and the waiter could only cringe under his words.  
  
"What are you doing?" The man yelled. A second man was on the floor picking up the coins and pocketing them. The first man turned around sharply. "Those are mine!"  
  
The second man's eyes held shock, and he did not look away, but he kept picking up the coins, as fast as his fat hands could move.  
  
"Stop it," The man said firmly as his women stepped away. "Stop it. STOP IT!" He took out what looked like a gun- sized crossbow. The second man backed away and knocked over two tables. More people became angry and started taking out their weapons. Everyone began to fight.  
  
"Now we really have to get out of here," Matilda said, backing away.  
  
"Err, strange children, not suppose to be here," A man said, glaring at them. He took out a large wooden mallet. Matilda gasped loudly and Jesse pushed him. It did little to stop him, and the man struck. Jesse backed out of the way. Matilda then began moving things with her eyes, so that things could fall on him.  
  
"Magic!" a nearby man said, and with a knife he strode over to them.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry yelled at the man. He went rigid and Harry smiled. "My wand still works!"  
  
"C'mon," Jesse said, trying to push Harry and Matilda out the door. Just as they were about to exit, Matilda felt someone grip her hair. The hand lifted, with Matilda's red ribbon. Matilda glanced at the man, for only a second.  
  
He was old with barely any teeth. He smiled. "We're getting there." The red bow dangled in his hand before he pocketed it.  
  
"Come on!" Jesse said and they exited quickly. They soon meet the cool evening air. They walked a little, hastily and silently. Finally Matilda said, "He has my bow."  
  
"It's just a bow," Jesse said. Harry was about to agree when Matilda replied, "It's not just a bow, and I've had it since forever." She said this tightly. Harry was glad that he had not made her angrier.  
  
"We had to get out of there," Harry said. "I think Jake, Jack and Buffy can take care of themselves. We should explore somewhere else."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Matilda said, brushing her skirt. "I just- I hope that when I go back home it'll somehow appear again."  
  
They kept walking, passing a few closed stores. A few people were walking the streets, talking quietly among themselves. Many people wore hoods, covering their faces.  
  
"What do you think that man meant by 'We're getting there'?" Matilda said.  
  
"Is that what he said?" Harry said.  
  
"Yeah- so- what does it mean?"  
  
"I don't know, it was just a man, Matilda, and to me he seemed to be a bit-" Jesse stopped to indicate that he thought the man was crazy.  
  
"Yes," Harry said. "He probably was talking about something that has nothing to do with you."  
  
"Maybe," Matilda said, and stopped suddenly. She looked up and Jesse and Harry. "Maybe he *knows*."  
  
"*Knows*?" Jesse and Harry echoed simultaneously. "What?"  
  
"You know," Matilda said, lowering her voice even though no one was by them. "Our mission."  
  
Harry and Jesse looked at her and then looked at each other. "No," Harry answered. "No. He- he couldn't. I mean, our arrival and mission was not in the papers, Matilda, it's secret and he was just a- barmy old man. You can't expect that the next person we're going to bump into knows about our mission."  
  
"Hello!" Jack said, running toward them. They stopped walking and he met them. His face was pink and his hair was unruly from the fighting and running.  
  
"Are you alone?" Harry asked.  
  
"We're suppose to be with another person at all times." Matilda said.  
  
"I am, now." Jack said slowly and smiled. "Look, I'm just here to tell you that Jake got hurt and Buffy's taking him to the-"  
  
"What? Jake's hurt?" Harry said. "Badly?"  
  
"Oh, no, no, no nothing like that." Jack said. "He's just unconscious and got stabbed. It was gross, the man got some skin. So I hit the man right in the nose."  
  
"Eww," Matilda said.  
  
"I'm sure he's fine." Jesse assured them. "I mean- something with morphing..."  
  
Harry nodded, and could see his breath against the cool, night. "It's late. How about we head in."  
  
They mumbled in agreement, but no one moved.  
  
"Aren't you guys going to lead the way?" Matilda asked Jesse and Harry expectantly.  
  
"No, I was expecting Jack to." Jesse said.  
  
"Me? How would I know?" Jack asked.  
  
"Because you- you were just at the bar, which is by our rooms." said Harry.  
  
"You got your magic stick, can't you lead the way?" Jack said.  
  
"Oh, right." Harry said taking out his wand. "You think it is north?"  
  
"No, we'll need to go west," Matilda said.  
  
Harry held out his wand. "*Point me*." They watched its direction pointed. "Of course... well, come on, towns deserted, but simple."  
  
Jack kicked a pebble as they walked. Matilda watched the pebble as she talked. "You know, we're four kids with super abilities, we should never lose our way."  
  
"Well, I don't see how invincibility would have helped if we were lost." Jesse said.  
  
"Yeah, about that," Jack said. "If you starved, would you still live forever?"  
  
"Jack," Matilda said.  
  
"No really," Jack persisted. "Have you ever tried to see?"  
  
"I-" Jesse started but then stopped. "Don't know." Jesse and Harry shared such a swift glance, that Jesse wasn't sure that he had caught Harry's eye.  
  
Jack contorted his face. "What do you mean? You either have, or haven't."  
  
"I- lately- have been forgetting- things." Jesse said, looking at Harry, but his head was bent down. "It's there- just- if I try to focus on something specific, something that doesn't really have to do with the day I drank out of that fountain, it get's blurry."  
  
"I know what you mean." Matilda said.  
  
"You do?" Harry said, lifting his head.  
  
"I noticed it a while back, but I didn't think too much of it." Matilda said with a frown. "I remember when I first figured out how to control my powers and matters associated with my powers but everything else seems indistinct."  
  
Jack looked at the group. "You think it's important?" There was no answer.  
  
"No, I don't." Matilda said, with more assurance then she had.  
  
"Well, it's not a- hole or anything." Jack said.  
  
"It's just not coming up vividly." Jesse said.  
  
"Right." Jack said and they continued to walk until they became familiar with their surroundings. "Should we mention this to?-"  
  
"Buffy and Jake?" Harry finished.  
  
"Sure," Matilda said slowly. "I mean, they could realize it and could maybe become irrational, you know, thinking it's just them, or thinking that maybe someone did it to them, I mean, Jake might think that he hit his head to hard or-"  
  
"Oh, if you really think it's that important, come on." Jack said and they hurried into the door that said 'LODGING' and to their rooms.  
  
"I hear noises in our room," Matilda said taking her key out and sliding it into the doorknob. She opened the door, and saw Jake and Buffy sitting close beside each other on a bed. Matilda and the group did not know exactly what was going on in there, and even though they weren't expecting it, there wasn't much to debate on the subject.  
  
"We were just-" Buffy started, backing away a little from Jake.  
  
"Doesn't matter," Jack spoke. "Group meeting. Now."  
  
Harry turned to Jesse. "So I guess Jake's better."  
  
*******************  
  
More later, hopefully soon! 


	12. Secluded

CHAPTER 12: Secluded  
  
"So- we mention this to Jana first thing in the morning," Buffy said simply, resting her body against the wall. "I really do bet it's nothing."  
  
"Yeah," Matilda agreed, moving a candlestick with her eyes from one table to another, and then back again. "We should get our rest."  
  
"Mmh," the boys mumbled and headed out lazily.  
  
Matilda turned to Buffy. "So... you ready for tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready. I just kind of want to get it all over with. Not having memories is no fun." Matilda watched as Buffy combed through her blonde hair in front of a mirror. She could not figure out how Buffy could be so casual, so persisted on conversation.  
  
"Of course you're not afraid, you've fought many battle's before." Matilda said. "And you've won, so I guess one like this shouldn't be too hard for you."  
  
"Well... sometimes you can fight and never really win. Battle is really not winning and losing. Not the battles I've faced, and not the battles I'm going to face."  
  
"Then how do you know when it's over, when there's no winner?" Matilda asked.  
  
Buffy looked in the mirror at Matilda, whose curiosity was beyond most girls her age's limits. "Exactly." Matilda only frowned. Buffy sighed. "I'm sure that if we kill most of the bad guys, and get the box and destroy it or bring it to a better place then it's over, and we'll all go home, smile on our faces, job well done, drowning in other people's gratitude. But- battle's aren't always like that, right?"  
  
"Right," Matilda said softly.  
  
"You know that because you've read many books, and not just those phony happy fairy tale endings. I mean, can you call something a complete victory when you're the only one left standing?"  
  
Matilda sat up. "You think- you think that some of us are going to die?"  
  
Buffy finally tied her hair in a ponytail. She saw through the mirror Matilda's fear. "I- I don't know. I just don't know. The plan is to go in this old factory place, while it's swarming with who knows what, and then we have to find one door out of the whole place to go into. I just- I can't imagine- I just- don't know."  
  
"Don't you hate it when you don't know?" Matilda said.  
  
Buffy smiled and nodded. "We're just going to have to wait and see. What ever comes- comes, and we'll face it and we'll try our best to fight it."  
  
"Right," Matilda said, lying back down while Buffy crawled into bed also. Buffy blew on the large candle that lit the place up and the two girls lay in darkness for a moment.  
  
"And we are not going to worry all night, right?" Matilda said.  
  
"Right."  
  
***  
  
"You'd better put on something warmer, we're traveling in the mountains." Jana said, when both groups made it out of the hall. They mumbled their greetings to each other. "Sorry to wear you out on such a big day. But we must hurry, so hand me your key's and we'll be on our way."  
  
The group obeyed and then huddled outside waiting for Jana to lead them in the right direction. Jana finally made it to them and started to lead them north.  
  
"I'll mention it now, ok?" Jake said in a low voice. The group nodded and Jake started to step up to Jana.  
  
"Mention it casually!" Jack told him and the whole group glared at him. "What? Stop staring, it's rude."  
  
"Mention what casually?" Jana said to Jake, a smile forming.  
  
"Well, we noticed something's last night. One being our lack of- recollection." Jake said gently, daring not to blink as if to miss a reaction or word from Jana.  
  
"I'm not sure what Scrauss told you but I think the story starts out something like there's a door at the end of a corridor-"  
  
"Oh, no, no, not that." Jake said quickly. "No- it goes before that. You know... our real lives."  
  
"Oh?" Jana said. "Didn't I tell you that when you get back to your separate lives that you will forget everything that you encountered in this reality?"  
  
"Of course you told us that," Jake said on the edge of frustration. "But I- we- mean opposite from that."  
  
"You may all be powerful, but you're not all that smart." Jana said. "I thought that you would've figured out that it works vice versa. When you go back to your reality you forget this reality and in this reality you forget your own reality."  
  
It took a while for the group to process this, being tired.  
  
"We managed to make sure you remember some things- like why you have your powers, when you got them, some of your physical and mental battles associated with it... I'm sorry for not making it clear. I hope you all weren't too bothered by this."  
  
"Oh, no, no." The group replied, mumbling in their own things.  
  
"Ahh," Jana said. "Anything else you're fuzzy about?"  
  
"You really asking us that?" Jack asked.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry if some things in this mission are confusing, I guess Scrauss and the others felt that you didn't need an overload of detailed information, for what ever reason. I suppose that they believed that you need to focus on fighting for the box and destroying it."  
  
"How do we destroy it?" Jesse asked.  
  
"I don't know. I'm sure you'll know when you get it."  
  
The group exchanged glances. Jake fell back into the group. They left the town, and started traveling towards the mountains. The group knew that Jana didn't know as much, and she was simply guiding them there, not to explain or ruin anything. But there were so many questions forming in the group's head, that one got frustrated.  
  
As they started to reach higher elevations, they cuddled closely together. Buffy found herself against Jake. "Hi."  
  
"Hi," Jake said simply. When they both fell silent, Jake said, "Thank you again, for-"  
  
"You already thanked me," Buffy said gently.  
  
"I know but- just to say it again." Jake said. "Just to let you know that I appreciate- you."  
  
Buffy smiled. "I wish we were from the same reality. Except for that whole Yeerks thing or whatever, what is the deal with that?"  
  
They progressed very quickly, to everyone's surprise. Soon, Jana was saying things like "Almost there." and "Do you see it?"  
Their feet made crunching noises through the thick snow. "I hope they got heat in there." Jack said, looking paler then usually, and wiping his apple red nose.  
  
"I bet there's going to be a lot of heat." Harry said.  
  
"What?" Jack said.  
  
"You know- with the battle, it'll be fierce and- and- hot." Harry said.  
  
Jack started to laugh. "Well, that was my first laugh all day. Seriously is it hot and fierce at your school of magic tricks? Are you hot battling- Lord whatshisname? Sounds pathetic."  
  
"You have no idea," Harry said strongly. "What about your excuse for being here? You were in a jungle that made you crazy and savage? You can't get more feeble than being feeble yourself."  
  
Jack bit his tongue. "If you were put in some place like that..." those were all the words that he could say.  
  
"Look, the factory!" Jesse pointed.  
  
Both Jack and Harry took their eyes off of each other to see the large, castle like factory just several feet away.  
  
Jesse looked around. "Well- looks very- ancient."  
  
"And very secluded." Maitlda said.  
  
"Not at all prosaic." Buffy said lightly.  
  
"Of course not," Jake said. "There's major power in there. Major power that's wanted by others."  
  
Jana nodded. "Correct." She turned toward the group. "Now. This place is full of demons that hurt anyone that enters. They do some sort of work here, they have no idea about the box. But the dream catchers might already be there, putting together some sort of enchantment to get the door open. Remember- when you find the door, you will be able to open it if you cross it together. All of you have enough powers, or enough powerful futures to. Do not waste time wandering, or fighting demons that are not getting in your way. Simply get in, through the door, get the box and destroy it." Jana looked at all of them. "Questions?"  
  
Everyone was quiet, hands on weapons, backpacks and things out of the way.  
  
"Okay," Jana said. "Are you ready?" Everyone nodded quickly, wanting that tall, black door to open, to see all the action going on inside. Jana reached her hand and pulled open the large doors.  
  
******************** 


	13. We Fight

CHAPTER 13: We Fight

            The whole group leaned forward and saw only darkness. There was no other sound than water drops echoing.

            "Are you sure this is the right place?" Jack said.

            "Well, you didn't expect that the demons would be at the door waiting for you all. No, they're busy. Now come on, go in."

            The group went in quietly and noticed that Jana remained outside.

            "You coming?" Jake asked.

             "This is not my battle to fight, league." Jana smiled. "Go on. Be cautious, but be strong."

            The group nodded and traveled down the dark hall. Few torches were lit every ten to fifteen feet. Everyone was silent. It was as if their thumping hearts had taken their ability to speak. They walked, swiftly, until they started to hear noises. They heard loud factory noises, squeaking, knives sharpening, whips slashing and more growls than human speech. They saw the light coming from there and headed toward it.

            "Be ready," Jake cautioned, and everyone gripped his or her weapons. When they stepped further, they saw that they were on a high balcony that stretched around the walls of the place. The group looked down and saw what they had suspected. Demons during hard labor, some of them large and ghastly, others not even demons, but humans. None of them had noticed the approaching group above them.

            "There's a door," Matilda whispered, and pointed at a door at the farthest corner. "Other than that, I see only stairs... leading down there."

            "We don't want to disturb them, do we?" Jack said.

            "Of course not," Buffy said. "Let's just make it quietly to-"

            "Who are you?"

            The group turned around and gasped at the sight of one of the demon. He was large, and had skin that looked like wrinkled black leather, eyes a glowing red, and a mouth that was simply a slit on the large oval head.

            Buffy took out a sword. "I'm Buffy. And you?" he took out his own weapon and tried to slash it into Buffy's chest, but Buffy stepped out of the way and punched him. She finally brought her sword to his neck.

            A human down there was not working but writing something. A demon came up to him and looked to see what he was doing.

            "You insignificant fool, why are you not working?" He asked.

            "I- I'm sorry- it's just. I could not focus-"

            "Dare you speak to me?" The demon took out a whip. "Have you no idea what we do to those who do not do what is asked of them?" 

            The man frowned and at that moment, the head that Buffy had chopped off fell before the man onto his table. He gasped and stepped away.

            "What-" the demon looked up and saw the group looking guilty. 

            "RUN!" Jake yelled and the group started running toward the door, just as the demon ordered his associates to go after them.

            "Great on trying to sneak to the door without being noticed!" Jack said.

            "C'mon- Harry, Matilda- do something!" Jake demanded.

            "Right," Matilda said, and as she was running, she moved machines and tools in the demon's way. Harry pointed his wand at a nearby demon. "_Reducio!"_

            The demon shrank to a very small size. Matilda laughed, but the demon still came at them. "Harry!"

            _"Stupefy!" _Harry said and the small thing was stunned. "No worries." 

            Harry, of course, said quite the opposite. Out of nowhere, a horde of demons and humans came at them. 

            "We fight," Buffy said, observing their situation, and holding her sword tightly.

            "We fight," Jake and Jesse followed her; Jake removed some of his clothing.

            "We fight," Harry and Matilda said, sighing.

            "We might die." Jack said, though this didn't seem to bother him. He got out his sword and went up to a man. The man struck him across the face. "Oww!"

            Harry started pointing his wand. He used the impediment jinx, which slowed down his closest attackers. _"Stupefy! Stupefy!"_

Matilda started to move things with her eye but a demon came from behind and put his arm around her body. She screamed and he placed his arm tightly around her neck.

            Buffy did a series of flips. When she stopped, her attackers were too confused and she stabbed the two demons. She then pointed her sword at a woman. 

            She was young, around early twenties, her pale skin marked with coal and dust, her blonde hair fierce, thin and unkempt. Her blue eyes held fear as they were looking at the tip of the sword. Buffy held her position too long and a demon raised her and threw her against a wall. 

            Jake morphed into wolf, and Jesse, seeing this, stepped away. He took out his sword and started doing the best he could on fighting a demon.

            "Not the expert swordsman," The demon said, as he some how acquired Jesse's sword. Quickly the demon stabbed him. After doing this, he laughed at his triumph.

            Jesse took the sword out of his chest and the Demon's eyes went wide when he saw no sign of injury on him. In this state of shock, Jesse stuck the sword into the Demon's heart. "No, I'm not. But what does it matter?"

            Jake growled and jumped onto a demon, scratching his face. The demon howled in pain. When another demon came at him, he jumped on him too.

            Buffy winced at the throbbing and the demon punched her against the wall. Buffy used the wall to stand up. The demon lifted his arm to strike again, but Buffy flipped out of the way and kicked the demon against the wall. She then started walking to her sword on the ground when the demon caught her leg and caused her to fall on the ground. A man tripped over her head. Buffy looked up seeing the sword and tried to crawl to it, but the demon kept trying to grab her leg. Finally she grabbed it, turned, and stabbed the demon in his eye and then into his heart. When he was down, Buffy rested a minute on the ground, before getting up and fighting again. She moved demons out of her way to get to the door.

            Matilda's breath was growing short and she could not scream for help in the chaos. She could feel the demons pleasure growing, as her life was fading. Then she heard the word _"Tarantallegra!"_  And the demon started to dance. He released his grip on her and Matilda fell to the ground. _"Stupefy!"_  The demon was stunned and Harry rushed to Matilda's side. She coughed, and put a hand around her neck and looked up with weak eyes. "Harry?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Thanks." Matilda said.

            Harry smiled and helped her up. "You'll be all right. C'mon, we have to make it to the door. C'mon, up, up."

            Jake knocked out the demon and noticed a slash at his side. He quickly morphed back into a human and then to a Siberian tiger. He again attacked demons, until around five of them were unconscious or weak. He looked and saw that some of the other's were heading to the door.

            "Hey, Jake, you can't talk, but I think we should head over to the door; we can't get all these guys." Jesse said, taking arrows out of his arm. 

            Jake morphed into a human. "Get on and hold on."

            "What?"

            Jake concentrated and morphed into a rhinoceros.

            "Right, right," and Jesse managed to get on, but with much difficulty. "Okay, I'm goo-" Jake started charging toward the door, knocking demons out of his way. Jesse held on as tightly as he could without squeezing too much of Jake's skin.

            Jack looked up and saw the rhinoceros. "Whoa." He looked down at the man's neck that he was standing on. Finally, the man passed out and Jack got off. With two swords, he poked his way through the crowd.

            Buffy was at the door first and reached the doorknob. She turned it many times. Harry and Matilda got to her. "It's locked!" she informed them.

 Harry pointed his wand at the doorknob. _"Alohomora!" _there was a click and Buffy opened the door. She peeked and saw a gray hall. "Great!"

            Harry turned and saw some demons heading at them. He again used the impediment jinx to slow them down. He then smiled. "Here comes Jake and Jesse."

            The rhinoceros started to shrink and then it left Jesse on the ground and Jake in tight clothing. "Err- Harry- could you get my clothes."

            _"Accio clothes!"  _Harry said and Jakes clothes came floating. At this time, Jack had made his way through. 

            "WHAT'RE YOU ALL DOING- C'MON!" Jack said, helping Jesse up and dragged him to the group. Jack also took hold of Matilda and Buffy and pushed them through the door. Harry caught Jakes clothes and together, they ran inside. Jake closed the door, right when the group of demons came at them. They heard the pounding and the twisting of the doorknob. 

            "It must lock every time it closes." Jake said, closest to the door. There came a loud pound and the group backed away. Then they all turned around and saw a long dark corridor.

***************

If only you could watch this- anyway, thanks to all the reviewers!


	14. Shadows

This is the chapter where you won't understand everything if you don't know some characters. It's okay if you don't know what all the parts mean, just as long as you get the main point.

CHAPTER 14: Shadows

The corridor was dark, the walls made of rough stone. There were columns, large and sturdy. They went on farther than the group could see; the hall seemed to go on forever. The group stood there. There was no other direction to go but straight.

            "We go on, until the end," Jake reminded them, his voice echoing lightly. 

            "If there is one." Jack said and the group became uneasy at these words. Still, the group walked, knowing that it was something they had to do. Their shoes tapped loudly on the floor, and there was no noise except for them. 

            They walked through this endless hall for hours, so it seemed. Each of them looked for any signs of change in the walls, to know that they were at least progressing. It was when they came to a red line stained across the floor that they stopped, and felt a little better.

            "What's the line mean?" Jesse asked.

            "Do you think any of us can answer that?" Jack asked.

            "Well no... I was just wondering aloud."

            "The line means that we are about to cross to another part of the hall. It could mean that the rest of the hall is different then what we have seen." Matilda assumed. The group looked ahead and saw no other sign of change. 

"Or it can be some blood stain when someone was dying at this spot and their blood just happened to make a line." Buffy said, and everyone took a step back. "Kidding. The line's too straight."

"Well, it doesn't look like paint," Harry said, squinting for a sharper look.

"I don't know why we are standing here when we have a job to do," Jake said. "For all we know, time is against us. The dream catchers could get to the room first. Maybe those demons have unlocked the doors and are now chasing their way down this boring hall."

"Do you think someone could have done some voodoo on the hall to prevent us from returning?" Jack asked.

"Oh, come on." Jake said and taking the closest hand, Buffy's, he crossed the line. Jake and Buffy stood there on the other side and nothing was different except for a second of this strange feeling of danger. Jake looked at Buffy, and she shrugged. "Well... everything's fine. C'mon, we don't have much time."

The group crossed the line, and when everyone felt fine, they went on. 

Buffy looked at the tough, stone, walls and even though they were the same as they've always been, the walls seemed to scream at her. Warning her, looking down at her. The pillars did the same, and it seemed as if objects or people were trying to escape from them. Buffy frowned and turned from the walls, seeing that Jake was observing them too. Jake and Buffy shared a look and Buffy took one step forward and stopped. A wind seemed to pass across her, and the corridor was colder than ever. 

"What is it?" Harry asked, looking at Buffy. Buffy looked on the walls and saw shadows. But when she looked at the group, she saw that none of them were moving. She saw one particular shadow, walking toward them.

"What do you think it is?" Buffy said.

"What is?" Matilda said.

"That shadow." Buffy said slowly, and soon it was a shadow no more. It stepped out of the walls and flickered, like a light bulb, but looked like a ghost. But it was no ghost. It was a vampire. Buffy reached for her stake and pointed it at the flickering shadow.

"Easy there," the vampire said gently and Buffy frowned. She knew this vampire. She loved this vampire. But her memory was as vague as the vampire shone.

"Buffy, what is it?" Jake said. But he realized that there was a shadow on the wall. Many shadows. One stepped out. Jake frowned. "Visser One?"

"We're wasting time, aren't we?" Jack said. Only he started seeing shadows. Everyone started to.

Jake frowned. "You're not supposed to be here."

"No, I'm not." Visser One said. "But somehow, I am here. Unfortunately, not fully. I bet you can change that."

"How?" Jake asked, taking a step back and almost bumping into Matilda who was starting to see her old kindergarten principal again. 

"Your fears of me, made me become alive through these walls. Don't you know? Mostly the Dream catchers built this place. They own it too. So see, the more you fear me in your nightmares, the more I become alive."

"I don't fear you," Jake said standing tall and grounded.

"No, not really." Visser One said. "But you fear that." He motioned to the other shadows on the wall. It was the rest of his old Animorph group, all in a heap, and living no more.

"This isn't real! It's not!" Jake said with less confidence then he hoped.

"Isn't it?" Visser One said, and the shadows started to flicker.

Jack looked at Jake. "No Jake. It's not real. Having a nightmare?" Jack laughed. "Hello- Jake?" Jack said, waving his hand in front of Jake. Jake still stared at something, and yelling things Jack couldn't comprehend.

"Oi oi, savaloy!" Jack said, and then cursed. He looked around and saw everyone was in his or her own little world. And he was too. A shadow, with the same height and shape as he, started walking over, hands out, as if he were holding liquid in his hands and didn't want to spill it on himself. The shadow stepped out of the wall and walked toward him, stopping in front of him. The shadow placed his arms behind himself, and smiled. 

The person flickered once, and no more. The person's feet seemed to stick to the floor and grow solid. "Well, I'd say you have it easy, mate," The person said, with his familiar smile. "Everything's as right as rain here. While your _friends _are in front of something they truly fear, you, my friend, are standing in front of no one but yourself."

It was true that the group was standing in front of something they fear. But it possibly couldn't be their worst fears. Harry feared fear, and there were no dememtors standing in front of him. The only person standing in front of him was Voldemort.

"We meet again. Earlier than I thought." Voldemort said. Voldemort took out his wand and pointed at the wall from where he came from. There was another shadow, down and helpless. "I destroyed his life. Now, I'm getting rid of him." Voldemort aimed his wand. "_Avada Kedavra_!" 

"Noo! Don't kill him!" Harry said rushing to the wall but he could not touch the figure. It burned in pain. The figure lay dead. Harry tried to touch him but couldn't. "Why can't I get to him!"

"Make him real, Harry." Voldemort suggested.

"I don't even know who it is!" Harry managed to say, but could barely hear it over his rapid heartbeat.

"I think you do." Voldemort said.

Jesse, didn't have a shadow figure standing in front of him. He was different. Instead, the scenery of the corridor and the group faded away and he was in some place isolated. He was in the middle of nowhere and it was getting dark. He was around ruins. He was alone, and the wind spoke to him.

"How could you ask me, Jesse," The wind said. "How could you ask me to drink from the well?"

Jesse frowned. "Winnie?" A surge of memory came to him.

"No, Jesse. You are secluded. Everyone is gone." The wind said. "Winnie, your family. Even your hope and love as a result of the deaths of the people you love. It is like... it is like the world is gone, and you are the only one left standing."

Jesse looked around. The world was gone. And he was the one left standing. 

Matilda tried hard to use her powers on her old principal but they didn't work.

"Thought I'd never come back, eh?" She said. "Thought I'd go away forever? No, no. I'm never going away. Because you fear my return."

"I got rid of you once, I can again." Matilda said, a little shakily. At this moment, the principal grabbed her from behind and Matilda didn't feel like a fourteen-year-old girl. She felt like a six and a half year old, back then, when she was helpless and had not found out about her gift. Matilda squealed in pain, as little children do, and tried moving, but her feet were off the ground. She had to stop this woman, or she would come solid and find some way to ruin others lives. With all her strength, the strength of a teenager, she shifted her weight and the principal fell back into the walls. She was gone. 

Everyone that was around her, came to her attention. She frowned at the sight of her group battling invisible evils. "You have to push them into the walls! You have to push them!" Matilda yelled, but no one heard. "Buffy!" She yelled as someone threw Buffy against the wall. She yelled to her group, but they were deaf to her voice. Matilda went to Buffy. "Buffy! Buffy! Push the demon into the wall! The wall, the WALL!"

Buffy looked at Angel and a tear fell. "You're gone. You left."

"I'm here. I never did." Angelus laughed, while brushing off his hands. "Gee, Buffy, why the tears? You were always so emotional, I couldn't understand it..."

"I fought you. I killed you." Buffy said, remembering her last swordfight. "You were good. You turned good."

"I will never be good!" Angelus said. "Not anymore." Angelus lifted his hand and threw a punch but missed Buffy and part of his hand was in the wall. He got it out. Buffy stared. _Push the demon into the wall. The wall, the WALL! _a voice screamed in her head and Buffy obeyed. She struggled to push him, but soon he was gone. She noticed Matilda yelling in her ear.

"Oww. Stop!" Buffy said, dragging herself away and up.

"You can hear me?" Matilda said. Buffy looked at her, pondering, but saw the others. "We have to find a way to tell the others to push their demons in the walls."

"Were you yelling that at me?" Buffy said.

"Yes." Matilda said. "In your ear. Repeatedly."

"Okay, okay." Buffy said. "Get as close as you can to them. Do the same. C'mon, we haven't much time."  

Jake was sucked into his imagination. He was standing in front of his group, dead. 

"You thought you could beat me, beat us!" Visser one laughed. "Now, does that seem like a reality to you."

A silent whisper was bothering Jake. Something about a wall... Jake looked at Visser one in the eye. "No it doesn't seem real. But neither is this." Jake tried to morph but when he realized he could not, he looked at Visser One, who was simply frowning at him.

"Uhh..." Jake stood up straight and pushed Visser One into the wall. The bodies disappeared. Finally he was in his own reality and saw Buffy smiling at him.

            Harry reached for the figure, putting his hand against the wall, and tried grabbing his hand. Finally, the body rolled out of the wall and lay dead on the floor. Harry's eyes were wide, as Voldemort laughed. "Sirius." Harry whispered and collapsed to the ground to his godfather.

            "Honestly, this is fun, but not fulfilling." Voldemort took a step toward the wall and put his leg through. "When you're done here, come back to your own life. There, there we will fight. And that, Harry, will be fulfilling." Voldemort disappeared into the walls and Harry was aware that Matilda stood behind him.

            "Harry... the body!" Matilda gasped.

            Harry looked and saw that Jesse was running around the place, Jake trying to catch him. Jack was against the wall, staring and Buffy had a hard time helping him. Harry stood, and kept his eyes on the body. "It's him."

            "It's not." Matilda said. "Push it into the wall."

            Harry nudged the body with his foot and, surprisingly, yelped when it could not be moved. "It's not moving!"

            "Okay, okay," Matilda said trying to calm him. "It can be, it can be pushed away."

            "Those walls carry things that are not real. But this is. Sirius' death- if not- his body... is real. And I can't ever forget his death. Those walls- they are-"

            "Oblivion?" Matilda said. "True... but this body is not real, right? So push. You won't forget his death, just forget this face." 

            Harry sighed, rubbed his eyes, and bent down, pushing. The body at first did not nudge, but then it rolled into the wall. And Harry was left there, remembering it. The entire trip, he was losing his memory. Now that it was back, he wished to lose it again.

            Jesse had no walls to touch, but could only run, straight, trying to find earths edge. The wind laughed, and Jesse tripped. He fell to the grown, drowning in the dirt. He turned his body around, and lay there. He was alone. He would lie there forever, no one to pick him up, not even the spiteful wind. At that moment, something strong grabbed hold of his hand and forced him up. As Jesse stood the scenery changed and he was again in the hall. Jake released his hand.

            "You all right?" Jake asked.

            Jesse breathed heavily. "Yeah, yeah." Jesse smiled confidently, and Jake returned it. 

            Jack looked at himself. "What... what does this mean I fear... I fear myself?"

            The other Jack smiled. "You fear what you have become. What you were back in that jungle. With those- those boys. Oh, what you did with those boys."  

            Jack looked down and saw that something red was dripping behind the Jack figure. The figure noticed. "Oh... you caught me-" The figure raised his hands. Jack gasped and saw blood dripping from it. He had a feeling that it was not animal blood. "Red handed." 

Jack grimaced in disgust. "How could you... who does that belong to?"

The figure of Jack frowned, and pretended to look innocent. "They attacked me... what else was I to do?"

Jack yelled. "Go back into the walls! Go back!"

"I can't," The figure said, so solid looking. "I'm more than just a fear. I'm you. I'm inside of you." 

"No," Jack said.

"Everyone has their evil in them," The figure said.

_Get the demon into the wall. Jack, the wall! Get him into the wall, Jack! C'mon, Jack! _Jack pushed on his figure but it barely moved. The figure punched him in the face, and Jack fell to the ground. _Get up!_  Jack obeyed and tried again. The figure threw a punch, but missed. Jack took the figure by his bleeding hands and twirled him against the wall. "Go in! Why won't you go in!"

"I can leave your sight," The figure said. "But I can never leave you. Stop fighting."

Jack stepped back. The figure brushed himself off. _Jack, c'mon! _A voice said. But another voice, louder than any said quite the opposite. _Walk away. Walk away. You have a job to do. Open your eyes_.

Jack frowned. His eyes were open. But the more he stepped back, the more the figure disappeared. Jack blinked. He saw everyone watching him. "We all better now?" Jack said through his rapid breath.

"Is everyone okay?" Jake said. Everyone nodded slightly and Jake knew they weren't  at the moment. "Okay. Let's go." Jake started walking.

"So... what was that? Our worst fears?" Jesse asked, remembering his isolation.

"No, I fought my principal, and I don't fear her the most." Matilda said. "I haven't thought of her for some years, really. But she's always been in the back of my mind... What I did fear, is her return. I did not fear it the most over everything, but I feared it. A lot."

"So, the person that we each fought is something that's been... bugging us?" Buffy said. "A fear that's been bugging us?" 

Jack looked down and saw his hand. They were dry, as usual, but stained with blood. He frowned and put his hands in his pocket.

"Look, a door!" Harry said, pointing ahead. The group looked and noticed they were feet away from it. 

"Let's go!" Buffy said, and together, the group ran toward the door, faster and faster. When they reached it, no one had to turn the knob. They slid through just as the shadows had done with the walls. The group frowned and processed the sight. The room was small and circular, and shelves on the walls carried jars. The shelves kept going higher and higher with no stop. On the shelves were glowing liquids in jars, most of them a bright blue. The group looked at the middle of the room. Nothing. No table. No box.

"Whe-" Buffy said but then, out of nowhere, a cage fell on them and they were trapped. The group touched the bars but could not escape. they could not lift this cage, nor squeeze into the bars.

"I knew it wouldn't work." An ancient voice said and out of the shadows came Scrauss. "League! How nice of you to join me."

*****

Yup. Long chapt. That chapter was probably all over the place, sorry, but believe it or not I cut some small parts. I think 1-2 chapters left.


	15. Tasting Destiny

CHAPTER 15: Tasting Destiny  
  
They fought warriors, overcame jungles, made way for stampedes, slept on the ground, escaped a large bar fight, figured out their loss of memory, hiked to a factory, fought demons, and had walked through a long hall that made them remember their fears. What they did during this time was more than half of what the group had experienced in a lifetime. It was less, of course, of what most of them were destined for. They had trusted too many strangers to bring them to this place, and the adults had trusted them to do their job. What they thought was their job, at least. All this chaos, all this emotion, all this pain done to end up locked. Together. As they've been the entire trip.   
  
Buffy used her weapons to try and cut the bars. Jake tried to morph, but couldn't. Jesse tried to squeeze through the bars. Matilda tried to move the lock with her eyes. Harry tried to use his wand to break out. All of this, no use. There was not a thing they could do, and it irritated them. All their power and smarts and they couldn't get it opened. Whatever they did proved to be unhelpful, as helpless as Jack felt most of the time.  
  
They never did see Scrauss as a good person. His first appearance out of the shadows, with a heavy accent, wearing black, smiling at them. He never accompanied them on their trips. The people on the ship didn't look that much more friendlier. Jana seemed to be the only good soul, and she didn't even know of Scrauss plan. She had her suspicions, but didn't question. She did as she was told, traveled and got to go back home.  
  
The group wasn't full of people that gave up when they met an impossible situation. They were not ones to admit defeat. Scrauss looked at them, at his watch, and at them again. With his look, he tried to convince the group that there was no way out. They wouldn't believe him.  
  
"Don't waste your energy," Scrauss said, backing away and touching some jars.  
  
"Don't touch those jars," Matilda said to him.   
  
Scrauss grinned, and moved the jar with his finger so that it was against another one. "You are not in the position to tell me what to do." Matilda almost didn't hear him over Buffy's sawing through a cage bar with her ax.  
  
"Where's the box?" Harry asked.  
  
"There is no box, fool. A simple lie to get you here." Scrauss sighed. "Blood."  
  
Buffy stopped. "What?"  
  
"Took your blood, Jakes skin," Scrauss walked back and forth, looking at pointing at them. "A piece of Harry's wand, Jesse's- spit... Jack's knife and Matilda's... ribbon." Scrauss smiled, took out Matilda's red ribbon from an inside pocket and tossed it into the cage. "Cut a piece off."  
  
Matilda glared. "The man. He was part of it."  
  
"Also the people you stayed with in the jungle, another man in that bar and many others." Scrauss said. "I have many allies... high places, low places. You can't go anywhere without a little help." Scrauss glanced at a jar, took it in his hand and peered through.  
  
"Okay, so what now? You win, we fail. You go happily home with your peanut butter and power jars, smiling at how many 'friends' you have and we go where... to our death?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No, I'm not going to kill you. If you force me to perhaps, but no. I'm simply going to get you back home." Scrauss told them, putting a hand in his pocket, to touch a ring of keys. "Take you home, I'll have my powers... we all win."  
  
"And what will you do with all that power?" Jesse said. "Become a world dictator? Kill anyone who threatens you, thus-"  
  
"-Killing us. We won't go down without a fight you know." Buffy said.  
  
"You're against six supernatural heroes now." Matilda said.  
  
"And more." said Jake.  
  
"With all this power, I will become ten times more powerful then the six of you and any friends you decide should help alongside." Scrauss put the jar in a steel box. He grabbed a few others and put them in also. "Besides, you all will be very busy. Many of you won't be able to fight two evils at the same time."  
  
"What do you mean?" Jesse said.  
  
Scrauss stood. "Well- you didn't possibly think that you and a couple of others were the only supernatural beings, did you? Fie, Buffy, all those young creatures you faced with power to match your own. Harry, have you not heard of other child wizards with powers more than your own? You see, those people you stayed with in the jungle- they have many special abilities, including being able to morph into birds and sensing futures in others. I asked one of them, Pheus, to go look for six supernatural beings with big futures. He went and found six. It was all of you. Except for Jack, here."  
  
Everyone looked at Jack. He had been sitting quietly, drinking this all in with a frown on his face.   
  
"Who was the sixth person?" Matilda said, trying to use her powers at the same time. Buffy looked at Jake and retired away from the bars towards the middle. "We stall," she whispered. "Perhaps asking him all these questions will give us time to come up with something." Jake nodded, and the rest of the group heard and nodded slightly as Scrauss tried to open a jar, failed and put it into the box.  
  
"The sixth person was young- pretty girl. Blonde hair if I can remember. Alien." Scrauss said and the group raised their eyebrows. "But she had the power to go into dreams, this was suspicious to us. She could easily know our plans, and I doubt she would have done well in entering this Dream catcher factory." Scrauss took more jars, looked at the door behind the group and continued. "So, we left her out. Then Pheus told me of a flight he had some years ago. He had flown over an island, completely abandoned except for thirteen or so British schoolboys stranded there for some time. Hunting. Forming groups. Having leaders."   
  
Jack glared up at Scrauss. He was both angry and annoyed. Dare he tell the story of the most frightening event ever to cross his life? Dare he tell what went on in that island, the hunting and killing? Jack felt all the shame, all the disgust again as he had weeks after being rescued. _Tell_ _them,_ Jack pushed in his mind. _Tell them what they already think. Let them shine their appalled faces, I have seen it too many times before._ Jack closed his eyes.  
  
"Pheus flown over and he saw a boy. Red hair, pale, skinny. A leader. Born for it, wanting it. You know what he saw in him? A future. 'A prophesized fate since birth,' I think were his words. Passionately he said this; you could almost taste his words! 'He is going to single handedly save the world.' Well! Great Clotho! I just had to have him."  
  
Jack breathed, and opened his eyes.  
  
"So we all have big futures..." Harry said but trailed off.  
  
"Of course, Harry." Scrauss said. "Ah, my my! Harry, what great things will come of you! You know that," Scrauss walked back and forth again. "Buffy... you're the slayer. All those demons you are going to bring down. Of course you had no problem accepting your gift."  
  
"My gift?" Buffy frowned.  
  
"Jake- still fighting, mm. One way or another, you guys have some big future. And I am not going to say it's an easy, happy road." Scrauss looked at Matilda. "That won't work!" Scrauss went over to her, kicked the dagger she was using to cut the bars out of her hands, and grabbed her ribbon, which was hanging out of her pocket. "Sorry, I'm in need of this, I realized."  
  
Matilda sighed and hit the bars but ended up hurting only herself. "Get us out, darn it!"  
  
"Much fear hath come over me at such a demand," Scrauss said sarcastically, choosing a jar and wrapping the ribbon around its lid. It opened. "Ha! Well, what do you know, what- do- you- know!"  
  
The whole group leaned against the bars. "Don't!" Harry said. He realized how stupid that request was.  
  
Scrauss looked over them holding up the jar as if it were a wine glass and he was about to take a great toast. "Ah! The power! I feel it when it is not even inside of me! I drink to you, my league. I would have not got through that door with out your wand and spit and all. Much thanks. A long way you came for nothing. All of you leaders, working together making it this far. Claps for you. A long hall you passed, many fears pressed against your face and you survived! Claps for you, again. But six cannot defeat a man working his life to reach this room, to reach this moment. Watch me, group, as I take my last breath as a man with a dream, and become a god!"  
  
With that, Scrauss closed his eyes and drank the entire jar. All it's golden, sparkling contents, into him. They watched, wondering what was to happen next.  
  
Scrauss breathed out heavily, and grinned. He dropped the jar, his eyes still closed. "I want to savor this moment. The first taste."   
  
"Of complete failure." Jack said. Scrauss frowned and looked a little over his left shoulder and saw Jack there, standing with his ax. He didn't have time to react because at that moment, Jack hit him across the back of his head. Scrauss flew against one of the walls and fell to the crowd, a few jars coming down with his, breaking.  
  
"How does my destiny taste, Bi-atch?!" Jack smiled and swung the ax. He looked over at the group.  
  
"You could get through the bars all this time, and you didn't mention it to us?" Harry said, irritated.  
  
"Well, I didn't know. Until I realized, I'm not like you guys. I'm not a powerful being. The cage was probably made to keep in people like you but not normal human people like me." Jack went over to Scrauss, reached into his pockets and grabbed the key. "Can't believe I got him."  
  
"How did you know that this was your destiny?" Jake said, emphasizing 'destiny'.  
  
"You just- know." Jack said after a moment of thought. He went to the cage and started choosing keys.   
  
"Well," Buffy said, not all satisfied that it was Jack that saved them all in the end. "Good- thinking. It was prophesized so..."  
  
Jack looked at her. "No, the prophecy was wrong." Jack stuck the right key in and turned it. "I didn't single-handedly take him out."  
  
The group smiled, nodded. A moment of silence then from Jesse, "What?"  
  
"I never would have gotten here without you guys, wouldn't have the smarts, and wouldn't have the strength. Would have been stuck in dreamland hall for a lifetime. I mean, it's not the end that mattered in this case. It was the journey."  
  
"That might have been the smartest thing you said to us." Matilda said. The group laughed and stood all together in the room.   
  
"All this power, this isn't a great room." Harry said. "Someone could... get selfish and gain control. Scrauss was going to."  
  
Jake sighed, and picked up a jar from Scrauss' box. Then he dropped it and the contents spilled onto the floor. Jake looked at them and smiled. The whole group smiled and followed his suit. They stuck their hand in shelves and crashed it all to the floor. The group threw caps, broken pieces and weapon to break the higher jars. They destroyed every jar in that room with their own bare hands.  
  
The group stepped out of the room and saw that it was a hall no more. Instead, they were back in the jungle, by the ocean. They stood out there and a man from the hut stood. "Come out, group. I am Pheus. We transported you here and in time will transport you to the separate worlds. Come, have bite, we talk." He walked, using his cane, over to a wood table and sat. "Come."  
  
The group walked apprehensively to the table. The man looked at them. "We not true allies of Scrauss. Long time ago we needed help and he was there to provide. Many said allies of him are not. He powerful, but you all have stopped him. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." Jesse said.  
  
"Scrauss and others have twisted your minds. Dream catchers not evil. They have power to control and go in dreams, make nightmares sometimes. They often mistaken for being bad. They build the factory to organize. Also others use for convenience."  
  
"Like making weapons?" Jake said.  
  
"Yes. One thing there is is the room of power. Has no specific name, many call it different things. Long time ago king brought together large group of sorcerers. They made the power room to satisfy the king. The king used the room to control others. He did not drink much but sold jars, and threatened other people that he would drink something ad kill them. The king was died and the guilty sorcerers locked the door. They could not rid of the powers. They cast spell that only someone very very powerful could open the door. No one had big power; until Scrauss decided that he gather powerful beings from different worlds. It worked."  
  
The group exchanged glances as they received water and more meat slabs.   
  
"Yummy," Matilda said unenthusiastically.  
  
"Scrauss got everyone to help. Make you believe that dream catchers are evil and there is box. If you were to look dream catcher up you would see that they are evil. Scrauss thought them perfect target. They made you go on this trip to test strength and give time to collect your special aspects."  
  
"My blood, Jakes skin." Buffy explained.  
  
"All this time, Scrauss knew when the trail started. It starts in mountains. You could have gone anyway way to get to mountains. Jana, not knowing of Scrauss' plan or much of anything, led you the way she thought it was. She did not know that it had already been discovered when trail starts."  
  
"So, no box. Dream catchers good. Scrauss evil." Buffy said. "He really lied."  
  
"You have done well group. Our dimension and all of yours are saved." Pheus looked at the sun. "It nice out. Have some sun before leaving."  
  
"Fine by me," Matilda said and rushed to the water. Harry quickly followed with Jesse. Buffy looked at Jake and Jack. "Well guys?"  
  
"You guys go ahead." Jack said his eyes hinting that he wanted to talk alone with Pheus.  
  
"Don't be too long." Jake said and put his arm on Buffy's shoulder to rush her along. They ran to the water to join the group.  
  
Jack looked at Pheus. Pheus drank. "Scrauss tell you what I saw?"  
  
"Yeah." Jack said. "You were there..."  
  
Pheus nodded. "That past haunts you, but it'll lead you to great future. You've done what you can here and now you can go back to your own world and- change."  
  
"That's why I recognized you, when I came to your hut. Recognized the bird, I mean. I must have seen you."  
  
"One has no choice but to look up when that is where the excitement is." Pheus said. "I stand out."  
  
Jack nodded.   
  
"Enough of the loneliness, sadness, be happy, make apologies. Have your satisfaction." Pheus said. "Go. Join your friends. Is last moment with them."  
  
Jack smiled. He quickly got up and ran to join the group. They happily let him in.  
  
It was a few moments of relaxation on the beach. Soon, they were standing all together before Pheus and others to be sent back. "Need second to prepare. Say your goodbyes."  
  
Jack shook hands with Jesse and pat him on the back.  
  
Matilda looked at Harry. "Goodbye. It was nice to know you." She bent forward and gave him a long kiss on the cheek. "Be safe."  
  
"You too," Harry whispered. Matilda went to kiss the cheek of Jesse and Jack saw Harry. "Guess this is goodbye."  
  
"Yeah. Great knowing you." Jack said and shook his hand.   
  
"Same here."  
  
All this time Buffy and Jake were in a hug. When they released they looked at each other. "You're a good person," Buffy said.  
  
"You too. Don't forget that."  
  
Buffy smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned and shook hands with Jesse as Jake shook hands with Jack.  
  
"You're a pain, but thanks for everything." Jake said to Jack.  
  
Matilda then came to Jack. "Oh why not." She pecked him on the cheek. Buffy had just finished saying goodbye to Harry.   
  
"Fine," Buffy said and kissed Jack on the cheek also. Jack cleared his throat and took Buffy's hand. Buffy leaned and Jack whispered something in her ear. Matilda frowned but Jake, who had said goodbye to Jesse, went in to hug her.  
  
Jesse and Harry shook hands.  
  
You're a great kid." Jesse said. Harry then said goodbye to Buffy. Buffy then turned to Matilda and Harry turned to Jake.   
  
"Bye, girly girl," Buffy said affectionately and they hugged for a long time.  
  
"I'm going to miss you... your like the big sister I never had."  
  
Buffy looked down at her. "Your like the little sister I have, but I love you."  
  
"We are ready now, league." Pheus said. "Stand in straight line."  
  
They did as they were told. With last glances at each other, Pheus began the incantation.  
  
They all returned home, safely to their right worlds. No time had passed when they were gone. Injuries they had disappeared, Matilda's ribbon was not cut anymore as well as Harry's wand. They remembered the journey for a few days, but it slowly disappeared into some kind of dream as the days went on. They soon got back to their normal (or as normal as possible) lives.   
  
Jack wrote back to some of the people from the jungle. They replied and he was able to make more friends. Jesse traveled around with his family, and then with his brother and encountered many adventures. Harry continued his years at Hogwarts and fought Voldemort for the last time. Matilda continued school, scored high on tests and became an outstanding student. Soon, she was accepted at Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford. Jake fought more in other battles. Many problems he encountered, but he knew what was right to do. Buffy became a powerful slayer fighting large ascended demons, a God, a friend, and a great evil. Soon, the burden of being the only Slayer (besides Faith) disappeared and she was allowed to live life the way she wanted.  
  
They fulfilled their big futures. They often went to sleep and were reminded of their journey and their friends. It was gone in the morning. They did not remember each other but they remembered their lessons and fears. One of them would walk down a street, alone with his or her thoughts, and know that he or she was unique, and different then other people around them. They didn't, however, feel alone.  
  
THE END  
  
If you have any questions just leave it in a review and I might be able to answer it. I may have forgotten to answer other things. Thank you all for sticking with this story, sorry that I updated monthly. Also Isabel the alien is not mine. Again thanks so much and keep on writing!  
  
4ever ryter Andrea 


End file.
